VICTIMIZATION AND PTSD IN INDIVIDUALS WITH SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS - GENDER AND RACIAL-DIFFERENCES

There is a paucity of studies concerning the prevalence of crime-relat ed posttraumatic stress disorder (CR-PTSD) in individuals with substan ce use disorders, despite documentation of particularly high prevalenc e rates of sexual and physical assault in this population. A central o bjective of the present investigation was to assess victimization expe riences and CR-PTSD among individuals receiving inpatient treatment fo r substance use disorders and evaluate gender and racial differences i n assault characteristics and CR-PTSD prevalence rates. A total of 95 inpatients (34 men and 61 women; 41 African-Americans, 52 Caucasians, and 2 other minorities) were administered a structured interview to as sess substance abuse/dependence, trauma, and PTSD. Approximately 90% o f the participants had a lifetime history of sexual and/or physical as sault, and approximately 50% had CR-PTSD. With the exception of rape, no gender differences in assault or CR-PTSD prevalence rates were obse rved. Women were more likely than men to perceive their life as endang ered during a rape. Men were younger than women when they experienced their first (or only) aggravated assault and were more likely to have been assaulted by a family member. No racial differences were detected for assault or PTSD, although African-American patients were signific antly more likely to identify cocaine as their primary drug than Cauca sian patients. Given the strikingly high rate of comorbid CR-PTSD amon g substance use disordered patients, exploration of the type and timin g of interventions would be of clinical interest.