scholarly journals Race/ethnic differences in exposure to traumatic events, development of post-traumatic stress disorder, and treatment-seeking for post-traumatic stress disorder in the United States

2010 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
pp. 71-83 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. L. Roberts ◽  
S. E. Gilman ◽  
J. Breslau ◽  
N. Breslau ◽  
K. C. Koenen

BackgroundTo identify sources of race/ethnic differences related to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), we compared trauma exposure, risk for PTSD among those exposed to trauma, and treatment-seeking among Whites, Blacks, Hispanics and Asians in the US general population.MethodData from structured diagnostic interviews with 34 653 adult respondents to the 2004–2005 wave of the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC) were analysed.ResultsThe lifetime prevalence of PTSD was highest among Blacks (8.7%), intermediate among Hispanics and Whites (7.0% and 7.4%) and lowest among Asians (4.0%). Differences in risk for trauma varied by type of event. Whites were more likely than the other groups to have any trauma, to learn of a trauma to someone close, and to learn of an unexpected death, but Blacks and Hispanics had higher risk of child maltreatment, chiefly witnessing domestic violence, and Asians, Black men, and Hispanic women had higher risk of war-related events than Whites. Among those exposed to trauma, PTSD risk was slightly higher among Blacks [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 1.22] and lower among Asians (aOR 0.67) compared with Whites, after adjustment for characteristics of trauma exposure. All minority groups were less likely to seek treatment for PTSD than Whites (aOR range: 0.39–0.61), and fewer than half of minorities with PTSD sought treatment (range: 32.7–42.0%).ConclusionsWhen PTSD affects US race/ethnic minorities, it is usually untreated. Large disparities in treatment indicate a need for investment in accessible and culturally sensitive treatment options.

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kunlin Zhang ◽  
Gen Li ◽  
Li Wang ◽  
Chengqi Cao ◽  
Ruojiao Fang ◽  
...  

AbstractPost-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a psychiatric syndrome that occurs after trauma exposure. Neurotransmitters such as dopamine and oxytocin have been reported to be involved in neuropathology of PTSD. Previous studies indicated that the dopamine–oxytocin interaction may contribute to behavioral disorders. Thus, exploring the epistasis (gene–gene interaction) between oxytocinergic and dopaminergic systems might be useful to reveal the genetic basis of PTSD. In this study, we analyzed two functional single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), rs2268498 for oxytocinergic gene OXTR and rs1801028 for dopaminergic gene DRD2 based on putative oxytocin receptor–dopamine receptor D2 (OTR–DR2) heterocomplex in a Chinese cohort exposed to the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake (156 PTSD cases and 978 controls). Statistical analyses did not find any single variant or gene–environment interaction (SNP × earthquake-related trauma exposure) associated with provisional PTSD diagnosis or symptoms. An OXTR–DRD2 interaction (rs2268498 × rs1801028) was identified to confer risk of provisional PTSD diagnosis (OR = 9.18, 95% CI = 3.07–27.46 and P = 7.37e-05) and further subset analysis indicated that rs2268498 genotypes controlled the association directions of rs1801028 and rs1801028 genotypes also controlled the association directions of rs2268498. Rs2268498 × rs1801028 is also associated with PTSD symptoms (P = 0.043). Our study uncovered a genetic and putative function-based contribution of dopaminergic–oxytocinergic system interaction to PTSD.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kaitlin E. Bountress ◽  
Vladimir Vladimirov ◽  
Gowon McMichael ◽  
Z. Nathan Taylor ◽  
Gary Hardiman ◽  
...  

Background: The purpose of this study was to identify gene expression differences associated with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and trauma exposure (TE) in a three-group study design comprised of those with and without trauma exposure and PTSD.Methods: We conducted gene expression and gene network analyses in a sample (n = 45) composed of female subjects of European Ancestry (EA) with PTSD, TE without PTSD, and controls.Results: We identified 283 genes differentially expressed between PTSD-TE groups. In an independent sample of Veterans (n = 78) a small minority of these genes were also differentially expressed. We identified 7 gene network modules significantly associated with PTSD and TE (Bonferroni corrected p ≤ 0.05), which at a false discovery rate (FDR) of q ≤ 0.2, were significantly enriched for biological pathways involved in focal adhesion, neuroactive ligand receptor interaction, and immune related processes among others.Conclusions: This study uses gene network analyses to identify significant gene modules associated with PTSD, TE, and controls. On an individual gene level, we identified a large number of differentially expressed genes between PTSD-TE groups, a minority of which were also differentially expressed in the independent sample. We also demonstrate a lack of network module preservation between PTSD and TE, suggesting that the molecular signature of PTSD and trauma are likely independent of each other. Our results provide a basis for the identification of likely disease pathways and biomarkers involved in the etiology of PTSD.


2021 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amandeep Thakur ◽  
Diksha Choudhary ◽  
Bhupinder Kumar ◽  
Amit Chaudhary

: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), previously known as battle fatigue syndrome or shell shock, is a severe mental disturbance condition that is normally triggered by the experience of some frightening/scary events or trauma where a person undergoes some serious physical or mental harm or threatened. PTSD is a long-life effect of the continuous occurrence of traumatic conditions which, leading the production of feelings of helplessness, intense fear, and horror in the person. There are various examples of events that can cause PTSD, such as physical, mental, or sexual assault at home or working place by others, unexpected death of a loved one, an accidental event, war, or some kind of natural disaster. Treatment of PTSD includes the removal or reduction of these emotional feelings or symptoms with the aim to improve the daily life functioning of a person. Problems which are needed to be considered in case of PTSD like ongoing trauma, abusive or bad relationships. Various drugs which are used for the treatment of PTSD include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) (citalopram, fluvoxamine, fluoxetine, etc.); tricyclic antidepressants (amitriptyline and isocarboxazid); mood stabilizers (Divalproex and lamotrigine); atypical antipsychotics (aripiprazole and quetiapine), etc. In this review, we have covered the different risk factors, case studies related to various treatment options with different age group peoples in PTSD and their effects on them. We have also covered the symptoms and associated disorders which can play a key role in the development of PTSD.


2019 ◽  
pp. 74-84
Author(s):  
Andrew Marble

Returning to Peoria, Illinois, on the morning after the June 1952 high school graduation, the chapter tells, through Donna Bechtold’s eyes, how John Shalikashvili fought to assimilate to life in the United States, how manipulative and strategic he could be and how this helped him to be well-liked at school, and how he struggled with demons from his wartime past (post-traumatic stress disorder, PTSD). It also reveals that Bechtold, despite all he has done for her, is set to betray him.


Author(s):  
Lawrence Tritle

This chapter investigates the issue of landpower from a demographic perspective, exploring the realities of military manpower in a time when fewer than 1 percent of the American people serve in uniform. Since 9/11, the United States has deployed in combat situations this minority of the population in Afghanistan and Iraq, where thousands have been exposed to a new-age weapon of choice, the IED, the Improvised Explosive Device. Many hundreds have been killed or maimed for life. Many thousands more have suffered debilitating, if not life-changing, head and brain injuries. The latest generation of diagnostic tools now available to medical professionals, magnetic resonance imaging, makes clear the catastrophic damage such weapons inflict on the human brain. These findings have enhanced the scientific and popular understanding of the nature of post-traumatic stress disorder, and such precursors as Combat Fatigue, Shell Shock, and Soldier's Heart. The lingering question remains the extent to which the USgovernment and the governed will recognize and act on the revealed science.


Author(s):  
Jordana L. Sommer ◽  
Rachel Roy ◽  
Pamela L. Holens ◽  
Renée El-Gabalawy

This chapter summarizes the current literature on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and chronic pain among military personnel in Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom, including an overview of clinical features, prevalence, correlates, comorbidity, assessment, and intervention. PTSD and chronic pain are both prevalent among military populations and commonly co-occur; however, prevalence estimates tend to vary in the literature, according to type of assessment, timing of assessment, and subsample of interest. Both PTSD and chronic pain are independently associated with various adverse correlates such as psychiatric and physical health comorbidity, and research suggests there are poorer health and adverse psychosocial effects when these conditions co-occur. These findings highlight the importance of adequate prevention, screening, and interventions among this population.


2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (5) ◽  
pp. 740-746 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph DeLucia ◽  
Cindy Bitter ◽  
Jennifer Fitzgerald ◽  
Miggie Greenberg ◽  
Preeti Dalwari ◽  
...  

Author(s):  
Arieh Y. Shalev ◽  
Anna C. Barbano ◽  
Wei Qi ◽  
Charles R. Marmar

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) follows an exposure to traumatic events and as such its onset and early development are better charted then those of most other mental disorders. It is not surprising, therefore, that major efforts have been dedicated to preventing its occurrence before, during and after trauma exposure. This chapter discusses the rationale, desirability, feasibility and outcome of interventions designed to prevent PTSD. Several efficient interventions have been documented. Barriers to their early implementations, however, greatly reduce their effectiveness and require urgent attention.


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