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A pilot study on perceived stress and PTSD symptomatology in relation to four dimensions of older women’s physical health
- Authors:
- LAGANA Luciana, REGER Stacy L.
- Journal article citation:
- Aging and Mental Health, 13(6), November 2009, pp.885-893.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
This study examines the impact of posttraumatic stress disorder symptomatology and stress of a non-traumatic nature on the physical well-being of older women. The subjects, 53 community living ethnically diverse women aged 65-105, were interviewed using various instruments including the Medical Outcome Study 36-item Short Form Health Survey, the Brief Posttraumatic Stress Screening Scale, and the Older Women’s Perceived Stress beyond Health Status Scale. The results indicated that perceived stress was a significant predictor of lower levels of general health but not of role limitations or physical functioning. Posttraumatic stress disorder symptomatology predicted more limitations in role fulfilment and to a lesser extent impaired physical functioning, but not lower levels of general health. The authors conclude that posttraumatic stress disorder symptomatology and perceived stress might alter older women’s physical health dimensions differentially, and that further research is required.
A pilot study on perceived stress and PTSD symptomatology in relation to four dimensions of older women's physical health
- Authors:
- LAGANA Luciana;, REGER Stacy L.
- Journal article citation:
- Aging and Mental Health, 14(4), May 2010, pp.396-404.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptomatology and stress of a nontraumatic nature from a variety of sources can have an adverse impact on physical wellbeing. This study used selected demographics and self-reported stress reactions as potential predictors of older women’s distinct physical health dimensions. It hypothesised that, together with more advanced age and lower income, higher PTSD symptomatology and perceived stress (of a nontraumatic nature and beyond health status) would predict lower scores of physical health. The participants, 53 cognitively high-functioning and ethnically diverse women age 65-105 years, were assessed using 5 instruments measuring various predictors encompassing PTSD symptomatology, perceived stress, age and income, in relation to 4 dimensions of physical health: general health; physical functioning; physical role limitations; and bodily pain. The results showed that perceived stress was a significant predictor of lower levels of general health, but not of physical role limitations or physical functioning. Conversely, PTSD symptomatology predicted more limitations in role fulfilment (and, to a lesser extent, impaired physical function), but not lower levels of general health. As expected, age and income were predictive of some physical health dimensions. The hypothesised predictors failed to account for a significant portion of variance in pain scores. The article concludes that PTSD symptomatology and perceived stress might influence older women's physical health dimensions differentially.