Posttraumatic stress disorder and comorbid depression among abused women seeking emergency department care


Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

5115.0: Wednesday, December 14, 2005 - 12:47 PM

Abstract #104451

Posttraumatic stress disorder and comorbid depression among abused women seeking emergency department care

Sherry Lipsky, PhD, MPH¹, Craig A. Field, PhD, MPH¹, Raul Caetano, MD, PhD¹, and Gregory L. Larkin, MD, MSPH, MS². (1) Dallas Regional Campus, University of Texas School of Public Health at Houston, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd, V8.112, Dallas, TX 75390-9128, 214-648-1013, sherry.lipsky@utsouthwestern.edu, (2) Surgery, Emergency Medicine, Clinical Sciences, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Boulevard, Dallas, TX 75390-8579

Aims: The study aims are: 1) determine the prevalence of intimate partner violence (IPV) - related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD; full and partial) symptomatology and comorbid depressive symptoms among abused women; 2) compare the patterns of depressive symptoms between those with and without PTSD symptomatology; and 3) determine the independent predictors of full PTSD symptomatology among abused women.

Methods: This study sample of IPV victims (cases) was drawn from a larger case-control study of adult female patients seen at an urban emergency department. T-tests were used to compare the total and subfactor depression scores between respondents with and without PTSD symptomatology. Adjusted odds ratios (AOR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated to determine independent predictors of PTSD symptomatology.

Results: One-half of respondents had symptoms consistent with full PTSD compared to 50% to 78% with subthreshold or partial PTSD. Nearly 80% of abused women with PTSD symptomatology had comorbid depressive symptoms. Those with full PTSD symptomatology had significantly higher (p<0.001) mean total and subfactor depression scores on three of four subscales than those without PTSD. Depressive symptoms (AOR 4.1, CI 1.9, 8.9), being married (AOR 2.5, CI 1.1, 5.8), sexual IPV (AOR 2.2, CI 1.0, 4.7), severity of physical IPV (AOR 2.0, CI 0.9, 4.7), and partner's consumption of 5 or more drinks per occasion (AOR 3.2, CI 1.4, 7.4) predicted PTSD symptomatology.

Conclusion: Our findings underscore the important roles these factors may play in IPV-related PTSD and the need for prompt identification and intervention of those at risk.

Learning Objectives:

At the conclusion of this session, the participant will be able to

- Articulate the prevalence of intimate partner violence (IPV) – related post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptomatology and comorbid depressive symptoms among a sample of abused women seeking care in an urban emergency department.
- Identify which depression subfactors are associated with PTSD symptomatology among abused women seeking care in an urban emergency department.
- Identify the correlates and independent predictors of PTSD symptomatology among abused women seeking care in an urban emergency department.
- Describe the implications of identifying comorbid PTSD symptomatology and depressive symptoms among abused women seeking care in an urban emergency department.

Keywords: Violence, Mental Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

Recorded presentation

Mental Health and Substance Abuse: Relationship with Injuries

The 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition (December 10-14, 2005) of APHA