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Post-traumatic stress disorder in primary-care settings: prevalence and physicians' detection

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 April 2001

O. TAUBMAN-BEN-ARI
Affiliation:
School of Social Work, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
J. RABINOWITZ
Affiliation:
School of Social Work, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
D. FELDMAN
Affiliation:
School of Social Work, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
R. VATURI
Affiliation:
School of Social Work, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel

Abstract

Background. Little is known about the prevalence of PTSD in primary-care settings and regarding the ability of primary-care physicians to detect PTSD. The current study examines prevalence of PTSD in a national sample of primary-care attenders and primary-care physicians' detection of PTSD and general psychological distress in PTSD patients.

Methods. Data are from a national study of 2975 primary-care attenders in Israel. Demographic data, responses to the GHQ-28, PTSD Inventory and physicians' diagnoses were examined.

Results. Twenty-three per cent of all patients who attended clinics (N=684) reported traumatic events, 39% of whom (males 37%, females 40%) met criteria for PTSD on the PTSD Inventory. Eighty per cent of the males and 92% of the females with PTSD were distressed according to the GHQ. According to physicians, 37% of persons who reported trauma (40% of the women, 32% of the men) suffered from psychological distress. Only 2% of patients meeting PTSD criteria on the self-report measure were given a diagnoses of PTSD by physicians.

Conclusions. Many primary-care patients suffer from PTSD, which is usually accompanied by major psychological distress. Attention by primary-care physicians to a history of trauma could improve physicians' detection of this disabling disorder.

Type
Brief Communication
Copyright
© 2001 Cambridge University Press

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