Original scientific paper
Factors associated with posttraumatic stress disorder and depression in warsurvivors displaced in Croatia
Marina Letica-Crepulja
orcid.org/0000-0003-1928-7980
; Regional Psychotrauma Centre Rijeka and Department of Psychological medicine, Psychiatric Clinic, Clinical Hospital Centre Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia
Ebru Salcioglu
; Trauma Studies Unit, Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College, University of London, London, UK
Tanja Frančišković
; Regional Psychotrauma Centre Rijeka and Department of Psychological medicine, Psychiatric Clinic, Clinical Hospital Centre Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia
Metin Basoglu
; Trauma Studies Unit, Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College, University of London, London, UK
Abstract
Aim To examine the role of perceived stressfulness of trauma
exposure and economic, social, occupational, educational,
and familial adaptation after trauma in posttraumatic
stress disorder (PTSD) and depression in displaced war
survivors.
Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted between
March 2000 and July 2002 with a sample of 173 internally
displaced persons or refugees and 167 matched
controls in Croatia. Clinical measures included Structured
Clinical Interview for DSM-IV and Clinician-Administered
PTSD Scale.
Results Displaced war survivors reported the exposure to
a mean ± standard deviation of 13.1 ± 8.3 war stressors, including
combat, torture, serious injury, death of close persons,
and loss of property. Compared to controls, they reported
higher rates of marked to severe impact of war on
family (16.2% vs 51.6%), social (7.2% vs 43.5%), economic
(12.6% vs 55.4%), occupational (1.8% vs 15.9%), and educational
(2.4% vs 8.8%) adaptation. In two logistic regression
analyses, the strongest predictor of PTSD and depression
was high level of perceived distress during trauma exposure.
PTSD but not depression was associated with economic,
social, occupational, educational, and familial adaptation
after trauma.
Conclusion Displaced survivors who experienced multiple
war events perceived greater negative impact of war
on their life domains compared to individuals who lived in
a war setting but had no trauma exposure. The most important
determinant of psychological outcomes was perceived
stressfulness of war stressors. Although post-trauma
adaptation in different life spheres had an impact, its effect
was not robust and consistent across disorders. These findings
suggest that it would be effective to use a trauma-focused
approach in rehabilitation of war survivors.
Keywords
Mental health; Psychological Stress; Socioeconomic Factors; Stress Disorders,Post-Traumatic; Depression; Survivors; War
Hrčak ID:
78201
URI
Publication date:
15.12.2011.
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