| Learning Objective #1: Identify the relationship between lifetime, violent and non-violent trauma on physical health | |||
| Learning Objective #2: Discuss the relationship between post-traumatic stress disorder and physical health in abused women |
Objective: Violence against women is a global health problem. The purpose of this presentation is to examine the relationships between violent and non-violent lifetime trauma, post-traumatic stress disorder and its symptom clusters of avoidance, intrusion/re-experiencing, and hyperarousal, and physical health symptoms in currently abused women.
Design: A cross-sectional, predictive-correlational design was used.
Sample, Setting, Years: A convenience sample of 126 abused women (48% Caucasian, 37% African American, 4% Hispanic, and 5% American Indian/Alaskan Native or Asian/Pacific Islander), who have been in an abusive intimate relationship an average of 6 years, was recruited in 2002. Mean age was 34.05 (SD 9.07) years.
Concepts: Six types of violent and eight types of non-violent lifetime traumas were assessed. PTSD and its symptom clusters were measured by the PSS. Physical health symptoms were assessed using a 40-item physical health survey.
Methods: Descriptive, correlational, and multiple regression analyses were used.
Findings: The abused women averaged 5.5 traumas throughout their lifetime. Violent trauma was correlated with PTSD symptom severity (r= .24, p< .01) and physical health symptoms (r=.39, p< .001). Non-violent trauma was correlated with physical health symptoms (r=.28, p< .01). Physical health was strongly related to PTSD severity and its symptom clusters, particularly increased arousal (r=.52, p<.001). PTSD symptom clusters accounted for 28% of the explained variance in physical health.
Conclusions: These ethnically diverse women, who were traumatized throughout their lifetime, experienced an array of physical and emotional health problems. Although this is a US population, violence against women is global, and it is likely that the effects of violence on women’s health are experienced worldwide.
Implications: The results highlight the need for healthcare practitioners in all settings to assess for lifetime trauma. Research is needed that concurrently examines physiologic and psychosocial responses to traumatic events.
Supported by NINR (07761).
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