The Epidemiology of Trauma in PTSD-II

In a previous post, I looked at the varieties of traumatic experiences and their risk of inducing PTSD in men and women.  Another aspect of the epidemiology of PTSD is a more basic look at the overall prevalence of exposure to individual traumatic experiences. 


There has been significant discussion and research to define the trauma severity required to increase risk of a PTSD response.  Early studies tended to have a lower threshold for severity.  They included not only a personal experience of trauma but also learning that a friend or family member had experienced trauma.  More recent research has required a more direct personal experience for the traumatic experience. 


Using an earlier, less restrictive definition, up to ninety percent of survey population reported at least one trauma significant enough for PTSD.  The most prevalent traumatic experiences (1996 Detroit area survey)
1. Sudden unexpecte death of a close friend or relative (60%)
2. Learned close friend/relative was seriously injured in a motor vehicle crash (39%)
3. Learned that a close friend/relative was raped or sexually assaulted (33%)
4. Witnessed someone being killed or seriously injured (29%)
5. Personal serious car or motor vehicle crash (28%)


The WHO international study of trauma used a more restrictive list of serious traumatic events and found the prevalence rates for lifetime trauma ranged between 2 and 31%.  The most common traumas reported among those with a traumatic experience were:
1. Death of a loved one (31%)
2. Witness to violence (22%)
3. Interpersonal violence (19%)
4. Accidents (18%)
5. Exposure to war (16%)
6. Trauma to a loved one (13%)


Look forward to additional description of the WHO survey of  prevalence and patterns of trauma exposure throughout the world.


Photo of Kenyan Zebra Courtesy of Sarah Yates


Breslau, N. (1998). Trauma and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in the Community: The 1996 Detroit Area Survey of Trauma Archives of General Psychiatry, 55 (7), 626-632 DOI: 10.1001/archpsyc.55.7.626


Stein DJ, Chiu WT, Hwang I, Kessler RC, Sampson N, Alonso J, Borges G, Bromet E, Bruffaerts R, de Girolamo G, Florescu S, Gureje O, He Y, Kovess-Masfety V, Levinson D, Matschinger H, Mneimneh Z, Nakamura Y, Ormel J, Posada-Villa J, Sagar R, Scott KM, Tomov T, Viana MC, Williams DR, & Nock MK (2010). Cross-national analysis of the associations between traumatic events and suicidal behavior: findings from the WHO World Mental Health Surveys. PloS one, 5 (5) PMID: 20485530