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Cited by 96Posttraumatic Stress Disorder ResearchChild Abuse and TraumaMigration, Health and Trauma

Traumatic events and their relative PTSD burden in Northern Ireland: A consideration of the impact of the ‘Troubles’

Ferry, Finola, Bunting, Brendan, Murphy, Samuel, O’Neill, Siobhan, Stein, Dan, Koenen, Karestan·2014·Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology
DOI 10.1007/s00127-013-0757-0
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Abstract

Purpose Over a 30-year period in its recent history, daily life in Northern Ireland (NI) was characterised by civil violence, colloquially termed as the 'Troubles'. The current report examines exposure to 29 traumatic event types and the associated conditional prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among the Northern Ireland population, with a focus on the impact of traumatic events that were characteristic of the NI 'Troubles'.Method Results presented are based on analysis of data from the Northern Ireland Study of Health and Stress (NISHS). The NISHS is a representative epidemiological study of mental health among the NI adult population (N = 4,340) and part of the World Mental Health Survey Initiative.Results Perpetration of violence, physical assault by a spouse or partner and private events were the event types associated with the highest conditional prevalence of PTSD. Despite this elevated risk, collectively these events accounted for just 16.8% of the overall public burden of PTSD, given their low prevalence among the general population. Events that were characteristic of civil conflict, including unexpected death of a loved one, witnessing death or a dead body or someone seriously injured and being mugged or threatened with a weapon accounted for the highest proportion of the overall public health burden of PTSD (18.6, 9.4 and 7.8%, respectively). These findings are a feature of the higher prevalence of these events among the general population coupled with their moderate to above average risk of PTSD.Conclusions Despite the formal end to conflict in NI in 1999, a substantial proportion of the adult population continue to suffer the adverse mental health effects of chronic trauma exposure. Given rates of recovery of PTSD in the absence of evidence-based treatments, it is likely that the legacy of mental ill health associated with conflict, if not adequately addressed, will endure for many years.

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Authors
Ferry, F., Bunting, B., Murphy, S., O’Neill, S., Stein, D., & Koenen, K.
Affiliations
  • University of Ulster (GB)
  • University of Cape Town (ZA)
  • Columbia University (US)
Corresponding author
Ferry, Finola
ORCID
Venue
Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2013-08-20
Volume
49
Issue
3
Pages
435-446
ISSN
  • 0933-7954 (ISSN-L)
  • 1433-9285
DOI
10.1007/s00127-013-0757-0
OpenAlex
W2029015165
Cited by
96
References
49
Citations by year
2026: 5 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 9 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 9 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 21 · 2019: 7 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 10 · 2016: 6 · 2015: 5 · 2014: 2
FWCI
4.82
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
Locations
  • Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation
  • World Health Organization
  • Public Health Agency (RES/4792/13)
  • Ulster University
  • National Institutes of Health (5r13mh066849-04, 5r01mh069864-04, 5r01mh070884-05, 5r01mh093612-03)
  • Pan American Health Organization
  • Medical Research Council (MR/K023241/1)
  • National Institute of Mental Health (R13-MH-066849, R01‐MH070884, R01 MH093612-01, R01‐MH069864)
  • National Institute on Drug Abuse (R01DA016558)
  • Fogarty International Center (R03TW006481)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Research
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child Abuse and Trauma
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Migration, Health and Trauma
Keywords
post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic events, civil conflict, Northern Ireland conflict, Northern Ireland, PTSD prevalence, witnessing death, intimate partner violence, violence perpetration, armed conflict legacy, mental health
MeSH terms
Adult, Aged, Female, Humans, Male, Mental Health, Middle Aged, Northern Ireland, Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic, Stress, Psychological, Violence, Prevalence, Cost of Illness

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