The epidemiology of traumatic event exposure worldwide: results from the World Mental Health Survey Consortium

Authors

Corina Benjet, Department of Epidemiology and Psychosocial Research, Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatría Ramón de la Fuente, Mexico City, Mexico
E Bromet, SUNY Stony Brook
E G. Karam, Balamand University
R C. Kessler, Harvard University
K A. McLaughlin, University of Washington
A M. Ruscio, University of Pennsylvania
V Shahly, Harvard University
D J. Stein, University of Cape Town
M Petukhova, Harvard University
E Hill, Harvard University
J Alonso, IMIM-Hospital del Mar Research Institute, Parc de Salut Mar; Pompeu Fabra University (UPF); and CIBER en Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Spain
Lukoye Atwoli, Aga Khan UniversityFollow
B Bunting, University of Ulster
R Bruffaerts, Universitair Psychiatrisch Centrum – Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (UPC-KUL), Campus Gasthuisberg, Leuven, Belgium
J M. Caldas-de-Almeida, Chronic Diseases Research Center (CEDOC) and Department of Mental Health, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal

Document Type

Article

Department

Faculty of Health Sciences, East Africa

Abstract

Background: Considerable research has documented that exposure to traumatic events has negative effects on physical and mental health. Much less research has examined the predictors of traumatic event exposure. Increased understanding of risk factors for exposure to traumatic events could be of considerable value in targeting preventive interventions and anticipating service needs.

Method: General population surveys in 24 countries with a combined sample of 68 894 adult respondents across six continents assessed exposure to 29 traumatic event types. Differences in prevalence were examined with cross-tabulations. Exploratory factor analysis was conducted to determine whether traumatic event types clustered into interpretable factors. Survival analysis was carried out to examine associations of sociodemographic characteristics and prior traumatic events with subsequent exposure.

Results: Over 70% of respondents reported a traumatic event; 30.5% were exposed to four or more. Five types – witnessing death or serious injury, the unexpected death of a loved one, being mugged, being in a life-threatening automobile accident, and experiencing a life-threatening illness or injury – accounted for over half of all exposures. Exposure varied by country, sociodemographics and history of prior traumatic events. Being married was the most consistent protective factor. Exposure to interpersonal violence had the strongest associations with subsequent traumatic events.

Conclusions: Given the near ubiquity of exposure, limited resources may best be dedicated to those that are more likely to be further exposed such as victims of interpersonal violence. Identifying mechanisms that account for the associations of prior interpersonal violence with subsequent trauma is critical to develop interventions to prevent revictimization.

Comments

This work was published before the author joined Aga Khan University

Publication (Name of Journal)

Psychological medicine

Recommended Citation

Benjet, C., Bromet, E., Karam, E. G., Kessler, R. C., McLaughlin, K. A., Ruscio, A. M., Shahly, V., Stein, D. J., Petukhova, M., Hill, E., Alonso, J., Atwoli, L., Bunting, B., Bruffaerts, R., Caldas-de-Almeida, J. M. (2016). The epidemiology of traumatic event exposure worldwide: results from the World Mental Health Survey Consortium. Psychological medicine, 46(2), 327-343.
Available at: https://ecommons.aku.edu/eastafrica_fhs_mc_intern_med/189