Original scientific paper
THE ROLE OF PTSD IN PERCEPTION OF HEALTH-RELATED QUALITY OF LIFE AND SOCIAL SUPPORT AMONG CROATIAN WAR VETERANS
Marijana Braš
; Department of Psychiatry and Psychological Medicine, University Hospital Centre Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Lovorka Brajković
; University Department of Croatian Studies, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Veljko Đorđević
; Center for Palliative Medicine, Medical Ethics and Communication Skills, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia
Neda Pjevač
; Department of Educational Technology, School of Public Health „Andrija Štampar“, University of Zagreb School of Medicine Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Bernarda Braš
; Department of Social Work, Faculty of Low, University of Zagreb (student), Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
Background: Different studies clearly show that posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is important factor in a reduction of the
overall quality of life. PTSD remains a substantial problem in Croatia, nearly three decades after the beginning of the Croatia n
Homeland war. In this paper, we present results of our original research about impact of PTSD on the self-perceived health-rela ted
quality of life and social support in Croatian Homeland war veterans.
Subjects and methods: A total of 277 war veterans were included from all Croatian counties. 158 (57.03%) veterans has PTSD
and 119 (42.47%) are without PTSD. Strucured questionnaire was designed for socio-demographic data and information about
combat experience and health problems. SF-36 was used in the estimation of health-related quality of life and Multidimesional S cale
for Perceived Social Support for estimation of social support. Research was performed from June 2017 till November 2017.
Results: Main results of the study suggest that Croatian veterans with PTSD have lower health-related quality of life in almost all
doimains, and that they perceive less social support from family, friends and significant others in comparison to veterans without PTSD.
Conclusion: The results of this study reiterate strong impact of PTSD on quality of life and perception of social support. The
research speaks in favor of the need to develop person-centered interdisciplinry health-care programs for this population, with
special emphasis on their overall quality of life.
Keywords
PTSD; QoL; HRQoL; social support; person-centered medicine
Hrčak ID:
269451
URI
Publication date:
21.12.2019.
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