PREVALENCE OF CIVILIAN TRAUMA AND POSTTRAUMATIC-STRESS-DISORDER IN A REPRESENTATIVE NATIONAL SAMPLE OF WOMEN

Prevalence of crime and noncrime civilian traumatic events, lifetime p osttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and PTSD in the past 6 months wer e assessed in a sample of U.S. adult women (N = 4,008). Random digit-d ial telephone methods were used to identify study participants. Struct ured telephone interviews for assessment of specific crime or other tr aumatic event history and PTSD were conducted by trained female interv iewers. Lifetime exposure to any type of traumatic event was 69%, wher eas exposure to crimes that included sexual or aggravated assault or h omicide of a close relative or friend occurred among 36%. Overall samp le prevalence of PTSD was 12.3% lifetime and 4.6% within the past 6 mo nths. The rate of PTSD was significantly higher among crime versus non crime victims (25.8% vs. 9.4%). History of incidents that included dir ect threat to life or receipt of injury was a risk factor for PTSD. Fi ndings are compared with data from other epidemiological studies. Resu lts are discussed as they relate to PTSD etiology.