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Langeland W, Olff M. Sex and gender in psychotrauma research. Eur J Psychotraumatol 2024; 15:2358702. [PMID: 38872459 PMCID: PMC11182052 DOI: 10.1080/20008066.2024.2358702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Background: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is two to three times more common in women than in men. To better understand this phenomenon, we need to know why men, women, and possibly individuals with other sex/gender identities respond differently to trauma. To stimulate sex and gender sensitive research, the European Journal of Psychotraumatology (EJPT) was the first journal to adopt a gender policy. In addition, a call for papers entitled Integrating and Evaluating Sex and Gender in Psychotrauma Research was announced.Objective: This special issue synthesizes the past five years of psychotrauma research with regard to sex/gender differences.Method: Seventy-seven articles were identified from EJPT archives, including five systematic reviews. These articles examined sex differences and/or gender differences in exposure to trauma, posttraumatic stress responses, or how sex and gender impacts (mental) health outcomes or treatment responses.Results: Findings from these studies outlined that: 1. sex and gender still need to be more clearly defined, also in relation to the context that codetermine trauma responses, like other 'diversity' variables; 2. in most studies, sex and gender are measured or reported as binary variables; 3. sex and gender are important variables when examining trauma exposure, responses to these events, symptoms trajectories, and mental and physical health outcomes across the life span; and 4. in PTSD treatment studies, including a meta-analysis and a systematic review, sex and gender were not significant predictors of treatment outcome.Conclusion: Future research must focus on sex and gender as important and distinct variables; they should include sex and gender in their statistical analyses plan to better clarify associations between these variables and (responses to) psychotrauma. To enhance reporting of comparable data across studies, we provide suggestions for future research, including how to assess sex and gender.
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Affiliation(s)
- Willemien Langeland
- Department of Medical and Clinical Psychology, Tilburg University, Tilburg, The Netherlands
| | - Miranda Olff
- Department of Psychiatry, Amsterdam University Medical Centers Location AMC, Amsterdam Public Health, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- ARQ National Psychotrauma Centre, Diemen, The Netherlands
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Reid BO, Næss-Pleym LE, Haugland H, Dale J, Uleberg O, Nordstrand AE. Posttraumatic Stress Responses and Psychological Well-being in Norwegian Medical Helicopter Personnel. Air Med J 2022; 41:292-297. [PMID: 35595337 DOI: 10.1016/j.amj.2022.02.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2022] [Accepted: 02/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Emergency medical personnel are exposed to multiple stressors, including those of psychological etiologies. The aim of this study was to report the prevalence of anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress symptoms in Norwegian medical helicopter personnel and to determine to what degree they report personal growth or deprecation due to exposure to work-related events. METHODS This was a web-based, cross-sectional survey performed among rescue paramedics and physicians staffing helicopter emergency medical services and search and rescue helicopters between May 5, 2021, and July 5, 2021. Questions included demographic data, the traumatic events exposure index, the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7 scale, the Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (Depression), the posttraumatic change scale, and the posttraumatic symptom scale. RESULTS Of the 245 eligible participants, 10 declined to take part and 74 failed to answer, producing a response rate of 66% (72 rescue paramedics and 89 physicians). Of the study population, 3.9 % reported manifest posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms, and 1.9% described moderate to severe depression and anxiety. The majority (76%) described posttraumatic emotional growth because of their work experience. CONCLUSION Despite exposure to several traumatic stressors, participants reported a lower prevalence of posttraumatic stress symptoms, depression, and anxiety compared with a Norwegian adult population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bjørn Ole Reid
- Department of Emergency Medicine and Prehospital Services, St. Olav's Hospital, Trondheim, Norway; Joint Medical Services, Norwegian Armed Forces, Sessvollmoen, Norway.
| | - Lars Eide Næss-Pleym
- Department of Emergency Medicine and Prehospital Services, St. Olav's Hospital, Trondheim, Norway; Department of Research and Development, Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation, Oslo, Norway
| | - Helge Haugland
- Department of Emergency Medicine and Prehospital Services, St. Olav's Hospital, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Jostein Dale
- Department of Emergency Medicine and Prehospital Services, St. Olav's Hospital, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Oddvar Uleberg
- Department of Emergency Medicine and Prehospital Services, St. Olav's Hospital, Trondheim, Norway; Department of Research and Development, Division of Emergencies and Critical Care, Oslo University Hospital, Norway
| | - Andreas Espetvedt Nordstrand
- Joint Medical Services, Norwegian Armed Forces, Sessvollmoen, Norway; Department of Psychology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
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Reid BO, Næss-Pleym LE, Bakkelund KE, Dale J, Uleberg O, Nordstrand AE. A cross-sectional study of mental health-, posttraumatic stress symptoms and post exposure changes in Norwegian ambulance personnel. Scand J Trauma Resusc Emerg Med 2022; 30:3. [PMID: 35016708 PMCID: PMC8749923 DOI: 10.1186/s13049-021-00991-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2021] [Accepted: 12/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been shown to be elevated among first responders (Emergency Medical Services, fire service, police force) compared to the general population. Examining the prevalence of mental health issues in a work force with an elevated occupational risk is fundamental towards ensuring their wellbeing and implementing safeguard measures. The goal of this study is therefore to report the prevalence of depression, anxiety, posttraumatic development, and PTSD in Norwegian ambulance personnel. Methods This study is a cross-sectional, anonymous, web-based survey (Questback®), performed among operative personnel employed in the Emergency Medical Services in the Regional Health Trust of Central Norway between 18. February and 9. April 2021. The study was sent to 1052 eligible participants. Questions reported demographic data, a traumatic events exposure index, Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (Depression), Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 scale, Posttraumatic symptom scale (PTSD) and Posttraumatic change scale. Results The response rate in this study was 45.5% (n = 479/1052). The mean age of respondents was 37.1 years (std. 11.1) and 52.8% (n = 253) were male. Of the respondents, 80.6% (n = 386) were married or had a partner, and 91.6% (n = 439) reported having access to a peer support programme, with 34.9% (n = 167) reporting that they had utilized peer support. In this study, 5% (n = 24) showed a prevalence of manifest posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms, while 8.6% (n = 41) reported moderate to severe depression and 2.9% (n = 14) presented moderate to severe symptoms of general anxiety. Of the respondents, 77.2% (n = 370) reported personal growth because of their work experiences. Conclusions This study indicates that Norwegian ambulance personnel report a prevalence of posttraumatic stress symptoms and depression, which is slightly higher for men, and lower for the female proportion in this study, when compared to an adult Norwegian population. The vast majority of respondents reported personal growth because of their work experience, and both the degree of peer support and having a partner seem to influence levels of posttraumatic stress and -development. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13049-021-00991-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bjørn Ole Reid
- Department of Emergency Medicine and Prehospital Services, St. Olav's Hospital, Prinsesse Kristinas gate 3, AHL, 7030, Trondheim, Norway. .,Joint Medical Services, Norwegian Armed Forces, Sessvollmoen, Norway.
| | - Lars Eide Næss-Pleym
- Department of Emergency Medicine and Prehospital Services, St. Olav's Hospital, Prinsesse Kristinas gate 3, AHL, 7030, Trondheim, Norway.,Department of Circulation and Medical Imaging, NTNU Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.,Department of Research and Development, Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation, Drøbak, Norway
| | - Karin Elvenes Bakkelund
- Department of Emergency Medicine and Prehospital Services, St. Olav's Hospital, Prinsesse Kristinas gate 3, AHL, 7030, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Jostein Dale
- Department of Emergency Medicine and Prehospital Services, St. Olav's Hospital, Prinsesse Kristinas gate 3, AHL, 7030, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Oddvar Uleberg
- Department of Emergency Medicine and Prehospital Services, St. Olav's Hospital, Prinsesse Kristinas gate 3, AHL, 7030, Trondheim, Norway.,Department of Circulation and Medical Imaging, NTNU Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Andreas Espetvedt Nordstrand
- Joint Medical Services, Norwegian Armed Forces, Sessvollmoen, Norway.,Department of Psychology, NTNU Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
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Family snapshot: Characteristics of the economic and social environment and their associations with mental health in Canadian military personnel with a history of deployment. CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s12144-019-00357-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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Conkright WR, O'Leary TJ, Wardle SL, Greeves JP, Beckner ME, Nindl BC. SEX DIFFERENCES IN THE PHYSICAL PERFORMANCE, PHYSIOLOGICAL, AND PSYCHO-COGNITIVE RESPONSES TO MILITARY OPERATIONAL STRESS. Eur J Sport Sci 2021; 22:99-111. [PMID: 33840352 DOI: 10.1080/17461391.2021.1916082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Combat roles are physically demanding and expose service personnel to operational stressors such as high levels of physical activity, restricted nutrient intake, sleep loss, psychological stress, and environmental extremes. Women have recently integrated into combat roles, but our knowledge of the physical, physiological, and psycho-cognitive responses to these operational stressors in women is limited. The aim of this narrative review was to evaluate the evidence for sex-specific physical, physiological, and psycho-cognitive responses to real, and simulated, military operational stress. Studies examining physical and cognitive performance, body composition, metabolism, hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, and psychological health outcomes were evaluated. These studies report that women expend less energy and lose less body mass and fat-free mass, but not fat mass, than men. Despite having similar physical performance decrements as men during operational stress, women experience greater physiological strain than men completing the same physical tasks, but this may be attributed to differences in fitness. From limited data, military operational stress suppresses hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal, but not hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal, axis function in both sexes. Men and women demonstrate different psychological and cognitive responses to operational stress, including disturbances in mood, with women having a higher risk of post-traumatic stress symptoms compared with men. Based on current evidence, separate strategies to maximize selection and combat training are not warranted until further data directly comparing men and women are available. However, targeted exercise training programs may be advisable to offset the physical performance gap between sexes and optimize performance prior to inevitable declines caused by intense military operations.
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Affiliation(s)
- William R Conkright
- Department of Sports Medicine and Nutrition, Neuromuscular Research Laboratory & Warrior Human Performance Research Center, University of Pittsburgh, United States
| | - Thomas J O'Leary
- Army Health and Performance Research, Army Headquarters, Andover, United Kingdom.,Division of Surgery and Interventional Science, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Sophie L Wardle
- Army Health and Performance Research, Army Headquarters, Andover, United Kingdom.,Division of Surgery and Interventional Science, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Julie P Greeves
- Army Health and Performance Research, Army Headquarters, Andover, United Kingdom.,Division of Surgery and Interventional Science, University College London, London, United Kingdom.,Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, Norwich, United Kingdom
| | - Meaghan E Beckner
- Department of Sports Medicine and Nutrition, Neuromuscular Research Laboratory & Warrior Human Performance Research Center, University of Pittsburgh, United States
| | - Bradley C Nindl
- Department of Sports Medicine and Nutrition, Neuromuscular Research Laboratory & Warrior Human Performance Research Center, University of Pittsburgh, United States
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Syed Sheriff R, Van Hooff M, Malhi GS, Grace B, McFarlane A. Childhood determinants of past-year anxiety and depression in recently transitioned military personnel. J Affect Disord 2020; 274:59-66. [PMID: 32469832 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2020.04.053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2019] [Revised: 03/18/2020] [Accepted: 04/27/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Anxiety and depression may hamper a smooth transition from military to civilian life and may be important predictors of longer-term health and functioning. However, it is as yet unclear to what extent they are determined by childhood factors in a recently transitioned population. METHODS We utilised logistic regression and Generalised Structural Equation Modelling to analyse associations of ICD-10 past-year anxiety and depression with childhood trauma and disorder in a recently transitioned population using detailed interview data from the ADF (Australian Defence Force) Transition and Wellbeing Research Programme. RESULTS Past-year anxiety (including PTSD) was prevalent (36.4%, 95% CI, 31.9-41.1) and associated with childhood anxiety (but not other types of childhood disorder), childhood interpersonal trauma (but not other childhood trauma) and adult-onset trauma. Childhood anxiety had a direct and significant association with past-year anxiety. The pathway between childhood interpersonal trauma and past-year anxiety was fully mediated by childhood anxiety. Past-year depression was less prevalent (11.3%, 95% CI, 8.7-14.5) and had no association with childhood disorder or trauma variables. LIMITATIONS The main predictor variables utilized in this analysis were childhood experiences recalled from adulthood, thus rendering the responses vulnerable to autobiographical bias. CONCLUSIONS Past-year anxiety was highly prevalent in the period of transition and had strong associations with childhood and military factors, suggesting predictability and potentially preventability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Syed Sheriff
- Discipline of Psychiatry, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia; Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, Warneford Hospital, Oxford, UK.
| | - Miranda Van Hooff
- Discipline of Psychiatry, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia
| | - Gin S Malhi
- Department of Academic Psychiatry, Northern Sydney Local Health District, St Leonards, NSW, Australia; Sydney Medical School Northern, University of Sydney, NSW, Australia; CADE Clinic, Royal North Shore Hospital, Northern Sydney Local Health District, St Leonards, NSW, Australia
| | - Blair Grace
- Department of Education and Child Development, 31 Flinders St, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Alexander McFarlane
- Discipline of Psychiatry, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia
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Syed Sheriff R, Van Hooff M, Malhi GS, Grace B, McFarlane A. Childhood determinants of suicidality in men recently transitioned from regular military service. Aust N Z J Psychiatry 2020; 54:743-754. [PMID: 32536196 DOI: 10.1177/0004867420924742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Rates of suicidality are higher in military than comparable civilian populations. The period of transition from regular military service may be a time of particular vulnerability. In order to best inform early intervention and prevention strategies, we sought to investigate the childhood determinants (trauma and disorder) of self-reported past-year suicidality (thoughts, plans or attempts) in a population of Australian Defence Force men who had recently (in the previous 5 years) transitioned from regular military service. METHODS We analysed self-report, and detailed interview, cross-sectional data to investigate the association between retrospectively reported past-year suicidality and childhood factors (disorder and trauma) and whether these relationships were independent of each other and adult-onset trauma and disorder. We utilised logistic regression techniques and generalised structural equation modelling. RESULTS The prevalence of suicidality in transitioned men was 21.6% (95% confidence interval [CI]: [19.9, 23.3]). Suicidality was associated with childhood-onset interpersonal trauma and anxiety and adult-onset anxiety and depression. Generalised structural equation modelling demonstrated that the pathway between childhood interpersonal trauma and suicidality was not fully mediated by childhood anxiety. Restricting the analyses to those previously deployed demonstrated that suicidality had a direct and significant association with childhood-onset factors (anxiety and interpersonal trauma) and adult-onset trauma (deployment and non-deployment related). CONCLUSION This study sheds light onto the significance of childhood factors (interpersonal trauma and anxiety) in a population undergoing transition that may revive pre-existing vulnerabilities. These findings have the potential to aid early intervention and prevention strategies in identifying those at risk prior to transition. These findings also imply that early interventions targeting anxiety and interventions to reduce social instability during the transition period may be useful in reducing suicidality during this time. Further prospective studies are needed to further explore these novel findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Syed Sheriff
- Discipline of Psychiatry, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.,Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, Warneford Hospital, Oxford, UK
| | - Miranda Van Hooff
- Discipline of Psychiatry, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Gin S Malhi
- The University of Sydney, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Northern Clinical School, Department of Psychiatry, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,Academic Department of Psychiatry, Royal North Shore Hospital, Northern Sydney Local Health District, St Leonards, NSW 2065, Australia.,CADE Clinic, Royal North Shore Hospital, Northern Sydney Local Health District, St Leonards, Australia
| | - Blair Grace
- Department of Education and Child Development, South Australia, SA, Australia
| | - Alexander McFarlane
- Discipline of Psychiatry, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
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Beliveau PJ, Sampasa-Kanyinga H, Colman I, Zamorski MA. Are personnel with a past history of mental disorders disproportionately vulnerable to the effects of deployment-related trauma? A cross-sectional study of Canadian military personnel. BMC Psychiatry 2019; 19:156. [PMID: 31117963 PMCID: PMC6532170 DOI: 10.1186/s12888-019-2146-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2018] [Accepted: 05/10/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Past mental disorders predict future disorders, both in the presence and absence of trauma exposure. However, it is not clear whether those with past mental disorders are disproportionately vulnerable to the negative effects of a given level of trauma. METHODS The data source was the 2013 Canadian Forces Mental Health Survey (CFMHS), of which 1820 respondents had deployed only once in their military careers-all in support of the mission in Afghanistan. The primary outcomes were past 12-month depression and past 12-month PTSD. Multivariate logistic regression was performed for each outcome variable, looking primarily for differences in the marginal effect of deployment-related trauma in those with and without a pre-deployment history of each disorder. RESULTS A history of each pre-deployment disorder did indeed interact with deployment-related trauma with respect to the corresponding past 12-month disorder. In addition, pre-deployment history of depression and of PTSD interacted with each other, though only for the outcome of past 12-month PTSD. The average marginal effect of deployment-related trauma on past 12-month PTSD was highest in those with a pre-deployment history of depression in the absence of a pre-deployment history of PTSD. This group was twice as vulnerable to post-deployment PTSD relative to those without a pre-deployment history of both disorders and four times as vulnerable to post-deployment PTSD relative to those with a pre-deployment history of both disorders. No significant differences were seen in the marginal effects of trauma on past 12-month depression in the presence or absence of a pre-deployment history of that disorder. CONCLUSION There is modest differential vulnerability to past 12-month PTSD as a function of deployment-related trauma in those who had a pre-deployment history of PTSD or depression when compared to those who did and did not have a pre-deployment history of one or both disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter J.H. Beliveau
- 0000 0001 2295 5076grid.457399.5Directorate of Mental Health, Canadian Forces Health Services Group, 101 Colonel By Drive Carling Campus, Building 9, Ottawa, ON K1A 0K2 Canada
| | - Hugues Sampasa-Kanyinga
- 0000 0001 2295 5076grid.457399.5Directorate of Mental Health, Canadian Forces Health Services Group, 101 Colonel By Drive Carling Campus, Building 9, Ottawa, ON K1A 0K2 Canada ,0000 0001 2182 2255grid.28046.38School of Epidemiology, Public Health and Preventive Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON Canada
| | - Ian Colman
- 0000 0001 2182 2255grid.28046.38School of Epidemiology, Public Health and Preventive Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON Canada
| | - Mark A. Zamorski
- 0000 0001 2295 5076grid.457399.5Directorate of Mental Health, Canadian Forces Health Services Group, 101 Colonel By Drive Carling Campus, Building 9, Ottawa, ON K1A 0K2 Canada ,0000 0001 2182 2255grid.28046.38Department of Family Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON Canada
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