Prevalence of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Associated Events in Adults Victim of Displacement in the Colombian Caribbean

Abstract

The forced displacement in Montería, a region from the Colombian Caribbean could become a risk factor for the existence of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), nevertheless, there isn’t data of the prevalence of this disorder.

Aim

To identify the prevalence of the PTSD and associated events in adults victims of the displacement in the city of Montería.

Method

Transversal and explorative study, 117 adults (M: 40,41; SD: 13,14). The PTSD was verified with the checklist for PTSD (Weathers, Litz, herman, Huska & Keane, 1993) and according to criteria of DSM-5 (APA, 2014). The 3 factors associated with the disorder were analyzed according to age groups. To evaluate the events associated to the disorder was used the checklist of events (Blake, Weathers & Nagy, 1990). Occurred and witnessed by the subject events were analyzed. Descriptive were used to determinate the existence of the PTSD and an ANOVA to contrast the symptomatology of the PTSD by age groups.

Results

The 26,49% (n = 31) of the sample had the clinic criteria of PTSD. An ANOVA of a factor evidenced that the activation was present in a biggest proportion in the range of 53-59 years old (M = 18.73); intrusion and avoidance was shown mostly in the range of 60-71 years old (intrusion M = 14.00; avoidance M = 14.85). In relation to the associated events occurred to the subjects, there was found that the highest incidence were: natural disasters (42.7%) and unexpected death (35.9%); the witnessed events with higher percentage where: unexpected death (19.70%) and traffic accidents (15.4%).

References not available.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.