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Background: The COVID-19 pandemic is a health emergency resulting in multiple stressors that may be related to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Objective: This study examined relationships between risk and protective factors, pandemic-related stressors, and PTSD during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Data from the European Society of Traumatic Stress Studies (ESTSS) ADJUST Study were used. N = 4,607 trauma-exposed participants aged 18 years and above were recruited from the general populations of eleven countries (Austria, Croatia, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Italy, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, and Sweden) from June to November 2020. We assessed sociodemographic (e.g. gender), pandemic-related (e.g. news consumption), and health-related (e.g. general health condition) risk and protective factors, pandemic-related stressors (e.g. fear of infection), and probable PTSD (PC-PTSD-5). The relationships between these variables were examined using logistic regression on multiple imputed data sets. Results: The prevalence of probable PTSD was 17.7%. Factors associated with an increased risk for PTSD were younger age, female gender, more than 3 h of daily pandemic-related news consumption (vs. no consumption), a satisfactory, poor, or very poor health condition (vs. a very good condition), a current or previous diagnosis of a mental disorder, and trauma exposure during the COVID-19 pandemic. Factors associated with a reduced risk for PTSD included a medium and high income (vs. very low income), face-to-face contact less than once a week or 3–7 times a week (vs. no contact), and digital social contact less than once a week or 1–7 days a week (vs. no contact). Pandemic-related stressors associated with an increased risk for PTSD included governmental crisis management and communication, restricted resources, restricted social contact, and difficult housing conditions. Conclusion: We identified risk and protective factors as well as stressors that may help identify trauma-exposed individuals at risk for PTSD, enabling more efficient and rapid access to care. N = 4,607 trauma-exposed adult participants were recruited from the general population during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. The prevalence for probable posttraumatic stress disorder was 17.7%. We identified risk factors (e.g. poor health condition) and protective factors (e.g. social contact) associated with posttraumatic stress disorder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the past 26 years since the genocide against the Tutsi, mental illness continues to be the greatest challenges facing the Rwandan population. In the context of the 1994 genocide against Tutsi, there are three different survival status within Rwandan women. Those who were targeted by the genocide referred to as 'survivors', those who were in the country during the genocide but were not targeted referred to as 'non-targeted', and those who were outside the country referred to as '1959 returnees'. All these groups experienced the traumatic events differently. The literature shows that traumatic stress exposure is associated with depression. To demonstrate differences in trauma exposure in a sample of mothers and daughters according to their genocide survival status. To examine differences in depression prevalence between these three groups of mothers and daughters as a function of their genocide survival status and place of residence. To examine the relationship between major depression, survival status, place of residence, and trauma exposure in sample of mothers and daughters, including the relationship between mothers' depression and daughters' depression. A sample of 309 dyads of mothers and daughters was recruited. Data were collected using the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview, Life Events Questionnaire and the Social Demographics Questionnaire. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, chi-square test, logistic regression, and one-way ANOVA. There is a significant difference in trauma exposure in three survival categories of mothers and daughters. A 23% of mothers and 18.4% of daughters met criteria for major depression, with urban participants twice as likely to meet criteria as participants from rural areas. Depression was associated with trauma exposure and place of residence in mothers' and daughters' samples. Maternal depression was associated with depression in daughters. Family support counselling services and research to identify factors of intergenerational depression are needed. 23% of mothers and 18.4% of daughters met the criteria for depression. Depression is more prevalent in urban participants than rural. The development of depression is related to trauma exposure and place of residence. Mothers' depression is associated with daughters' depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is one of the most prevalent mental disorders in war-affected regions. Syria has endured 9 years of war and yet little is known about the impact of the conflict on the well-being of Syrians who remain. In this study, we investigated trauma and estimated PTSD prevalence among university students in Deir-ez-Zor, a Syrian governorate that was under the siege by ISIS for over 3 years. A descriptive cross-sectional study design was used on a sample of Al-Furat university students in Deir-ez-Zor. We collected data on socio-demographics, trauma exposure, and stress levels. PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 was used to provide prevalence rate estimates, and determine the symptom severity among Syrian university students. Binary logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with the development of PTSD symptoms. A total of 833 students were recruited into the study, 86.4% of the participants were exposed to at least one traumatic event. The estimated PTSD prevalence was 28.2%, and the highest PTSD rates were found among students who were forced into sexual act (46.3%). A significant association was found between PTSD and internal displacement (p =.032), academic year (p =.002), and social economic status (p =.000). Binary logistic regression indicated that PTSD symptoms were predicted by smoking and third-year university students. The results presented in this research revealed a high prevalence of trauma exposure and PTSD symptoms among a sample of university students in Deir-ez-Zor. These findings call for immediate actions to help the affected population in restoring their mental health, so they can be prepared to face the challenges and demands of the post-conflict period. In this cross-sectional study, we investigated trauma and PTSD prevalence among university students in Deir-ez-Zor, a Syrian governorate that was under the siege by ISIS for over 3 years. PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 was used to provide prevalence rate estimates, and determine the symptom severity among Syrian university students. Binary logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with the development of PTSD symptoms. We found a high prevalence of trauma exposure and PTSD among the 833 university students who participated in the study. These findings call for immediate actions to help the affected population in restoring their mental health, so they can be prepared to face the challenges and demands of the post-conflict period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Despite the well-known deleterious health effects of childhood adversity (CA) and adulthood trauma (AT) and ageing of the global population, little is known about self-reported CA and AT in older populations. Existing findings are mixed due to methodological and sampling artefacts, in particular, recall and selection biases, and due to age-period-cohort effects. Objectives: We aim to first, provide data on the prevalence of retrospective self-reported CA and AT in a large population-based sample of older adults and, second, to discuss the data in the context of major methodological and sampling artefacts, and age-period-cohort effects. Method: Data are derived from the U.S. population-based Health and Retirement Study (N = 19,547, mean age = 67.24 ± 11.33, 59% female). Seven birth-cohorts were included (<1924, 1924–1930, 1931–1941, 1942–1947, 1948–1953, 1954–1959, >1959). Results: Overall, 35% of participants reported CA and 62% AT, with strong variability among birth-cohorts. Opposing trends were observed regarding prevalence of CA and AT. As age of cohorts increased, prevalence of CAs decreased while that of ATs increased. Investigating the distributions of incidence of specific ATs across age and period per cohort revealed incidence of exposure was associated with (1) age (e.g. having lost a child), (2) time-period (e.g. major disaster), and (3) cohort (e.g. military combat). Conclusions: Retrospective self-reported CA and AT in older samples should be interpreted with caution and with regard to major methodological challenges, including recall and selection biases. Untangling fact from artefact and examining age, period, and cohort effects will help elucidate profiles of lifetime exposures in older populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Domestic violence (DV) is a widespread yet commonly underdetected problem with severe impact on physical and mental health. To date, only limited information is available on prevalence and detection-rates of victims of DV in hospital settings. Objective: The aim of this study was (a) to assess the prevalence and impact of DV on physical and mental health as well as risk-factors associated with it, (b) to determine how many patients had been asked directly about DV in the hospital and (c) to investigate patients’ preferences about being asked about DV in a hospital setting. Methods: Adult inpatients and outpatients at seven somatic departments at the University Hospital Innsbruck (Austria) were included consecutively in this ad-hoc, cross-sectional paper-and-pencil questionnaire-based study. In total, n = 2,031 patients were assessed regarding their experiences with DV. They also reported on whether they had been asked about DV at the hospital and whether they would mind being asked about it. To evaluate the impact of DV on patients’ self-reported physical and mental health, odds ratios were calculated using binary logistic regression. Results: DV was reported by 17.4% of patients, with 4.0% indicating current DV exposure. Lifetime DV exposure was associated with a significant risk for both physical and mental health-problems. Only 4.8% of patients with DV exposure had ever been asked about it by hospital staff. While patients with a history of DV were more open to being asked about DV than patients without DV (78.2% vs. 72.9%), overall acceptance was still high (74%). Conclusion: DV is a frequently overlooked problem with detrimental effects on physical and mental health. While high acceptance of DV assessment was found, only a small proportion of affected patients had indeed been assessed for DV. Screening for DV in hospitals may thus increase the number of identified patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The 2011 United Nations political declaration against non‐communicable diseases (NCDs) targeted four major risk factors: tobacco use, harmful use of alcohol, an unhealthy diet, and a lack of physical activity. The Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), MPOWER strategies, and the four‐stage model of the tobacco epidemic are useful references for the prevention and control of other risk factors and NCDs. Obesity control is a more complex challenge. Herein we propose a stage of obesity epidemic model (SOEM). Obesity is in the early stages in most countries with increasing prevalence, but its effects on mortality will increase rapidly, even if its prevalence may have reached a peak and be declining. Based on current relative risk, obesity kills one in three obese people. Like tobacco, epidemiological studies of obesity in the early stages would underestimate the risks and disease burden. Further research will reveal more harm, especially from long‐term obesity since childhood. The prevalence of obesity will likely overtake smoking prevalence, but commitments to obesity control are too weak. The SOEM is needed and should be useful to forewarn against the expanding public health problems attributable to obesity, and challenges in epidemiology and interventions. Learning from tobacco control, we advocate for a framework convention on obesity control. Framing obesity control initiatives in the spirit of MPOWER strategies against tobacco should be considered to prevent and control obesity and obesity‐induced diseases. Healthcare professionals should take leading roles in these initiatives and obese individuals should reduce their weight and “quit” obesity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is growing evidence of the important role played by socio-interpersonal variables on the maintenance of PTSD. Many World War II survivors in Poland could, as a result of political circumstances during the aftermath of the war, have experienced a lack of social recognition of their war-related trauma. Objective: The main aim of the study was to examine the association between perceived social reactions and the level of posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSD) and depression. Method: Participants (N = 120) were aged 71-97 years (M = 82.44; SD = 6.14). They completed a WWII trauma-related questionnaire, the Posttraumatic Diagnostic Scale (PDS), the Impact of Events Scale (IES) and Beck's Depression Inventory (BDI). The Social Acknowledgement Questionnaire (SAQ) was used to measure participants' perception of others' acknowledgement and disapproval of their war trauma. Results: The rate of probable PTSD, diagnosed according to DSM-IV, was 38.3%. PTSD symptoms and General Disapproval were significantly correlated for all three PTSD symptom groups (Pearson's r ranged from.25 to.41). The structural equation modelling results also demonstrated the importance of General Disapproval with regard to the level of PTSD symptoms. It explained both the intensity of PTSD symptoms (13.4% of variance) and the level of depression (12.0% of variance). Conclusion: In addition to confirming the high rate of PTSD among WWII survivors in Poland, the results indicate the importance of social reactions to survivors' traumatic experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]