Search resultsPosttraumatic stress disorder, alcohol use, and physical health concerns
Title
Posttraumatic stress disorder, alcohol use, and physical health concerns
Publication type
Journal Article
Year of Publication
2008
Authors
Journal
Journal of Behavioral Medicine
Volume
31
Issue
2
Pagination
115 - 125
Date published
2008
ISBN
01607715 (ISSN)
Keywords
abstinence, Adolescent, Adult, alcohol, alcohol consumption, Alcohol Drinking, Alcohol use, Alcoholism, analysis of covariance, anxiety, article, attitude to health, battered woman, Battered Women, Conflict (Psychology), covariance, Crime Victims, domestic violence, drinking behavior, family, Family violence, Female, health status, human, Humans, major clinical study, mass screening, Middle Aged, pennebaker inventory of limbic languidness, physical health, Posttraumatic Stress Diagnostic Scale, posttraumatic stress disorder, psychological rating scale, Questionnaires, revised conflict tactic scale, risk factor, Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic, timeline followback method alcohol, victim, Victimization
Abstract
PTSD is a risk factor for alcohol problems and both in turn have been independently associated with increased health problems. However, it is unclear whether alcohol use moderates the relationship between PTSD and health. Participants were battered women (N = 336) recruited from local domestic violence shelters and non-shelter victim-assistance agencies. A 2 (PTSD diagnosis) × 3 (abstainer, infrequent/light, regular/heavy drinking) ANCOVA was conducted, with injuries and length of abuse as covariates and health concerns as the dependent variable. Main effects for PTSD and alcohol use were significant but not the interaction. Women with PTSD reported the greatest number of health concerns. Women who abstained from drinking and those who drank regularly/heavily reported more health concerns than the infrequent/light drinkers. Health concerns associated with PTSD do not appear to be due to problem drinking. In addition, infrequent/light drinking, even for women with PTSD, may be associated with fewer health concerns.