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Determinants of the development of post-traumatic stress disorder, in the general population

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Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

To assess (1) the lifetime prevalence of exposure both to trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD); (2) the risk of PTSD by type of trauma; and (3) the determinants of the development of PTSD in the community.

Methods

The Diagnostic Interview for Genetic Studies was administered to a random sample of an urban area (N = 3,691).

Results

(1) The lifetime prevalence estimates of exposure to trauma and PTSD were 21.0 and 5.0 %; respectively, with a twice as high prevalence of PTSD in women compared to men despite a similar likelihood of exposure in the two sexes; (2) Sexual abuse was the trauma involving the highest risk of PTSD; (3) The risk of PTSD was most strongly associated with sexual abuse followed by preexisting bipolar disorder, alcohol dependence, antisocial personality, childhood separation anxiety disorder, being victim of crime, witnessing violence, Neuroticism and Problem-focused coping strategies. After adjustment for these characteristics, female sex was no longer found to be significantly associated with the risk of PTSD.

Conclusions

The risk for the development of PTSD after exposure to traumatic events is associated with several factors including the type of exposure, preexisting psychopathology, personality features and coping strategies which independently contribute to the vulnerability to PTSD.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by four grants from the Swiss National Science Foundation (#32003B-105993, #32003B-118308, #33CSC0-122661 and #139468) and two grants from GlaxoSmithKline Clinical Genetics to G. Waeber, P. Vollenweider and M. Preisig. The authors would like to express their gratitude to the Lausanne inhabitants who volunteered to participate in the PsyCoLaus study.

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On behalf of all authors, the corresponding author states that there is no conflict of interest.

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Correspondence to Caroline L. Vandeleur.

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M. Perrin and C. L. Vandeleur contributed equally to the completion of this paper.

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Perrin, M., Vandeleur, C.L., Castelao, E. et al. Determinants of the development of post-traumatic stress disorder, in the general population. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 49, 447–457 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-013-0762-3

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