Original scientific paper
A Quality of Life in Chronic Combat Related Posttraumatic Stress Disorder – A Study on Croatian War Veterans
Marijana Braš
Vibor Milunović
Maja Boban
Vlatko Micković
Zoran Lončar
Rudolf Gregurek
Miro Laco
Abstract
The main objective of this study was to examine an association of various symptoms in chronic combat-related post
traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and the quality of life in this population. 248 Croatian male war veterans all diagnosed
with chronic PTSD were consecutively enrolled in this studyas they showed up at the routine check-up. They were
given self report questionnaires Trauma Symptom Inventory (TSI-A) evaluating different PTSD symptoms and WHO
Quality of Life-BREF assessing four different domains of the quality of life. After independent sample t- test was performed,
the presence of each symptom defined by Trauma Symptom Inventory indicated the impairment of all four quality
of life domains in a group of subject suffering from it, except of intrusive experience not being associated with the
lesser quality in social domain. All quality of life domains were significantly correlated with various PTSD symptoms;
however Pearson correlation factors ranged from small to medium value. As expected, PTSD symptoms are associated
with lesser quality of life in the affected population. The further research is needed to show possible causal relationship
between PTSD and, especially, physical health of these patients.
Keywords
PTSD; quality of life; war veterans; mental health
Hrčak ID:
72155
URI
Publication date:
30.9.2011.
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