Combat Trauma and the Diagnosis of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in Female and Male Veterans

Pereira, Angela

doi:10.1093/milmed/167.1.23

Cited by 27 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 4 publications

(4 reference statements)

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“…Compared to women in the general population, women veterans experience disproportionately high rates of sexual violence across the lifespan as well as a high incidence of psychiatric illness (Fontana & Rosenheck, 1998;Fontana, Schwartz, & Rosenheck, 1997;Grossman et al, 1997;Pereira, 2002;Sadler, Booth, Cook, & Doebbeling, 2003;Sadler, Booth, Cook, Torner, & Doebbeling, 2001;Weitlauf et al, 2008). For these women, sexual trauma also may include military sexual trauma (MST), or the experience of sexual assault and/or harassment during one's military tour of duty.…”

Section: A Robust Association Between Sexual Trauma and Trading Sex Hmentioning

confidence: 99%

Is Military Sexual Trauma Associated with Trading Sex Among Women Veterans Seeking Outpatient Mental Health Care?

Strauss¹,

Marx²,

Weitlauf³

et al. 2011

Journal of Trauma & Dissociation

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A robust association between sexual trauma and trading sex has been documented in civilian samples but has not been examined in veterans. Women veterans experience high rates of sexual victimization across the lifespan, including during military service (military sexual trauma [MST]). Associations between MST and trading sex were examined in 200 women enrolled in a crosssectional study of HIV risks and seroprevalence among women receiving outpatient mental health care at a Veterans Affairs (VA) medical center. Each woman completed an assessment interview composed of validated measures that queried childhood sexual trauma; substance use; and risk behaviors, including trading sex for money, drugs, shelter, food, or other things. History of MST was derived from mandated VA screening results and chart notes. Overall, 19.7% reported a history of trading sex. Those who reported trading sex had a higher rate of MST than those who did not report trading sex (87.2% vs. 62.9%, respectively). A multivariable logistic regression model examined the relationship between trading sex and MST, controlling a priori for substance abuse and childhood sexual trauma (both associated with trading sex in civilian samples) and education, which was associated with trading sex in our sample. In this adjusted model, MST was associated with trading sex: odds ratio = 3.26, p = .025, 95% confidence interval = [1.16, 9.18]. To our knowledge, this is the 1st report of an association between MST and trading sex. Results extend previously observed associations between sexual trauma and trading sex in civilian cohorts and underscore the pernicious influence of sexual victimization across the lifespan.

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Section: A Robust Association Between Sexual Trauma and Trading Sex Hmentioning

confidence: 99%

Is Military Sexual Trauma Associated with Trading Sex Among Women Veterans Seeking Outpatient Mental Health Care?

Strauss¹,

Marx²,

Weitlauf³

et al. 2011

Journal of Trauma & Dissociation

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show abstract

“…Pereira examined male and female veterans exposed to similar levels of combat-related stress and found that men and women were equally likely to have PTSD symptoms. 73 Kimberling et al examined PTSD in female Vietnam War-era veterans and found that there was a significant relationship between PTSD symptoms and reported health problems in the women with previous trauma exposure, 74 and it has been suggested that high rates of chronic medical illness may be one of the adverse consequences of failing to identify and diagnose PTSD in military veterans. 19 The results from these studies perhaps indicate that women in fact have a similar risk for PTSD as men after combat-related trauma exposure; they are simply less likely to receive a PTSD diagnosis than men.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Anxiety disorders in women: does gender matter to treatment?

Kinrys

Wygant

2005

Rev. Bras. Psiquiatr.

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A b s t r a c t Women have a substantially higher risk of developing lifetime anxiety disorders compared with men. In addition, research evidence has generally observed an increased symptom severity, chronic course, and functional impairment in women with anxiety disorders in comparison to men. However, the reasons for the increased risk in developing an anxiety disorder in women are still unknown and have yet to be adequately investigated. Evidence from various studies has suggested that genetic factors and female reproductive hormones may play important roles in the expression of these gender differences. The significant differences in onset and course of illness observed in men and women diagnosed with anxiety disorders warrants investigations into the need of differential treatment; however, evidence of gender differences in treatment response to different anxiety disorders are varying and remain largely inconclusive. This article reviews the prevalence, epidemiology, and phenomenology of the major anxiety disorders in women, as well as the implications of such differences for treatment.Keywords: Anxiety disorders/epidemiology; Anxiety disorders/genetics; Anxiety disorders/drug therapy; Antidepressive agents/ therapeutic use; Depressive disorder; Disease susceptibility; Gender Identity Women's health ResumoMulheres apresentam um risco significativamente maior comparado com o dos homens para o desenvolvimento de transtornos de ansiedade ao longo da vida. Além disso, diversos estudos sugerem maior gravidade de sintomas, maior cronicidade e maior prejuízo funcional dos transtornos de ansiedade entre as mulheres. Apesar disso, os motivos que levam a este aumento de risco no sexo feminino são ainda desconhecidos e precisam ser adequadamente investigados. Vários estudos apresentam evidências de que, entre as prováveis causas dessa diferença entre os sexos, estão os fatores genéticos e a influência exercida pelos hormônios sexuais femininos. As diferenças de gênero encontradas nos transtornos de ansiedade em relação ao início e à evolução da doença indicam que é necessário investigar a necessidade de tratamentos diferenciados para homens e mulheres. Entretanto, as evidên-cias de que as diferenças de gênero modifiquem a resposta ao tratamento dos transtornos ansiosos ainda são inconsistentes e amplamente inconclusivas. Este artigo procura rever a literatura existente a respeito da prevalência, epidemiologia e fenomenologia dos transtornos ansiosos entre as mulheres e as implicações destas peculiaridades para a melhor eficácia no seu tratamento. GAD is characterized by excessive anxiety and worry occurring more days than not for at least 6 months, about a number of events or activities.3 The symptomatology associated with this disorder includes restlessness, being easily fatigued, difficulty concentrating, irritability, muscle tension, and/or sleep disturbance. Women with GAD appear to have several distinguishing clinical features from men with GAD. Women diagnosed with GAD tend to have an earlier age of onset than m...

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“…Women are as capable of becoming warriors as men, according to Plato, because the essence of the warrior is to be found within the person (Dean, 1999). Despite the official recognition that women are eligible to become warriors in the U. S. armed forces, there remains a reluctance to accord them the full spectrum of responsibilities, promotions, rights and services (Dean, 1999;Pereira, 2002). There are lingering misperceptions that, for example, those women's military experiences in Vietnam were confined to duties with low likelihood of injury, danger, trauma, or death (Pereira, 2002).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Despite the official recognition that women are eligible to become warriors in the U. S. armed forces, there remains a reluctance to accord them the full spectrum of responsibilities, promotions, rights and services (Dean, 1999;Pereira, 2002). There are lingering misperceptions that, for example, those women's military experiences in Vietnam were confined to duties with low likelihood of injury, danger, trauma, or death (Pereira, 2002). However, this perception is incongruent with the military and combat experiences of many female veterans: Women were both injured and killed as a result of the war in Vietnam (Mather, Zeiler, Brandau, & Rahman, 1995;McVicker, 1985).…”

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confidence: 99%

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Does PTSD Differ According to Gender Among Military Veterans?

Benda

Acsw

House³

2003

Journal of Family Social Work

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This was a study involving systematic random samples of 225 male and 232 female military veterans respectively that had received services at a VAMC in the South. The purpose was to examine what ecological factors predict a diagnosis of PTSD among those veterans. As expected, gender differences in relevant predictors of PTSD were observed: Generally, interpersonal factors, depression and fearfulness were more important to PTSD among women. Among men, self-efficacy, resilience, suicidal thoughts, alcohol and other drug abuse, and combat stress were more relevant.However, physical and non-physical abuses in the family-of-origin were significantly related to PTSD for both women and men, albeit those abuses were more important for female veterans. Conceptual and family social work implications of the study were discussed. Article copies available for a fee from The Haworth Document Delivery Service: 1-800-HAWORTH.

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Combat Trauma and the Diagnosis of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in Female and Male Veterans

Cited by 27 publications

References 4 publications

Is Military Sexual Trauma Associated with Trading Sex Among Women Veterans Seeking Outpatient Mental Health Care?

Is Military Sexual Trauma Associated with Trading Sex Among Women Veterans Seeking Outpatient Mental Health Care?

Anxiety disorders in women: does gender matter to treatment?

Does PTSD Differ According to Gender Among Military Veterans?

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