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Traumatic experiences and post-traumatic stress disorder among elderly Germans: results of a representative population-based survey

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 March 2010

Heide Glaesmer ,
Thomas Gunzelmann ,
Elmar Braehler ,
Simon Forstmeier  and
Andreas Maercker
Heide Glaesmer*
Affiliation:
Department of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
Thomas Gunzelmann
Affiliation:
Department of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
Elmar Braehler
Affiliation:
Department of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
Simon Forstmeier
Affiliation:
Department of Psychopathology and Clinical Intervention, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
Andreas Maercker
Affiliation:
Department of Psychopathology and Clinical Intervention, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: Dr. Heide Glaesmer, University of Leipzig, Department of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, Philipp-Rosenthal-Str. 55, 04103 Leipzig, Germany. Phone: +49 341 9718814; Fax: +49 341 9718809. Email: [email protected].
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Abstract

Background: Only a few population-based studies on the epidemiology of post-traumatic stress disorders (PTSDs) are available to date. Most of the existing studies are from the U.S.A. Against the background of World War II, the extent and long-term effects of war-related traumatic experiences in the German elderly population are of special interest. Nevertheless, population-based data on this topic are lacking to date.

Methods: This study examines the occurrence of traumatic experiences and the prevalence rates of PTSD according to DSM-IV and of partial PTSD in a randomly selected sample of the German general population aged 60 years and over (N = 814) using self-rating instruments.

Results: PTSD is apparent in 3.4%; when partial post-traumatic stress syndromes are included, a total of 7.2% of the aged population are involved. The most common individual symptoms resulting from war-induced trauma are avoidance of thoughts and feelings, sleep disturbances, distressing dreams and intrusive thoughts. The most frequently mentioned traumatic experiences of the generation examined in this study were war-related trauma experienced as children or in early adulthood during World War II. As a person's age increases, so does the prevalence of war-related traumatic experiences. There are some gender differences in traumatic experiences, but not in post-traumatic symptoms.

Conclusion: The results emphasize the importance of war-related traumatic experiences from World War II in the German elderly population and their impact on the prevalence of PTSD more than 60 years later.

Keywords

post-traumatic stress disorder; prevalence; elderlyWorld War IIwar traumaGermanysymptoms
Type
Research Article
Information
International Psychogeriatrics , Volume 22 , Issue 4 , June 2010 , pp. 661 - 670
Copyright
Copyright © International Psychogeriatric Association 2010

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