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Cited by 125Posttraumatic Stress Disorder ResearchDisaster Response and ManagementDisaster Management and Resilience

Trajectories of posttraumatic stress symptomatology in older persons affected by a large-magnitude disaster

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Pietrzak, Robert H., Van Ness, Peter H., Fried, Terri R., Galea, Sandro, Norris, Fran H.·2013·Journal of Psychiatric Research
DOI 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2012.12.005PMC PMC3581738
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Abstract

This study examined the nature and determinants of longitudinal trajectories of disaster-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in older persons affected by a large-magnitude disaster. Two hundred six adults age 60 or older (mean = 69, range = 60-92) who resided in the Galveston Bay area when Hurricane Ike struck in September 2008 completed telephone interviews an average of 3-, 6-, and 15-months after this disaster. Latent growth mixture modeling was employed to identify predominant trajectories of disaster-related PTSD symptoms over time; and pre-, peri-, and post-disaster determinants of these trajectories were then examined. A 3-class solution optimally characterized PTSD symptom trajectories, with the majority (78.7%) of the sample having low/no PTSD symptoms over all assessments (i.e., resistant); 16.0% having chronically elevated symptoms (i.e., chronic); and 5.3% having a delayed onset course of symptoms (i.e., delayed-onset). Lower education, greater severity of Hurricane Ike exposure (i.e., Ike-related physical illness or injury and high level of community destruction), and greater number of traumatic and stressful life events after Hurricane Ike, particularly financial problems, were associated with a chronic PTSD trajectory. Greater number of traumatic and stressful life events, particularly financial problems after Hurricane Ike, was also associated with a delayed-onset trajectory. These findings suggest that there are heterogeneous trajectories of disaster-related PTSD symptoms in older adults and that these trajectories have common and unique determinants. They also underscore the importance of prevention efforts designed to mitigate the deleterious effects of post-disaster stressors, most notably financial distress, in older persons affected by disasters.

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  • GMM has been used to examine factors related to longitudinal trajectories of PTSD symptoms after a hurricane disaster, though the finding could be limited to older adults.

    “Another study, although the finding could be limited to older adults, has also utilized GMM to examine the factors related to longitudinal trajectories of PTSD symptoms after a hurricane disaster (Pietrzak et al., 2013).”

    From Time in treatment: Examining mental illness trajectories across inpatient psychiatric treatment (2020) · cites this paper as Pietrzak et al., 2013

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Authors
Pietrzak, R. H., Van Ness, P. H., Fried, T. R., Galea, S., & Norris, F. H.
Affiliations
  • Yale University (US)
  • Columbia University (US)
  • Dartmouth College (US)
Corresponding author
Pietrzak, Robert H.
ORCID
Venue
Journal of Psychiatric Research
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2013-04
Volume
47
Issue
4
Pages
520-526
ISSN
0022-3956 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/j.jpsychires.2012.12.005
PMC
PMC3581738
OpenAlex
W2049884114
Cited by
125
References
71
Citations by year
2026: 4 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 8 · 2022: 13 · 2021: 8 · 2020: 11 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 13 · 2017: 12 · 2016: 14 · 2015: 12 · 2014: 10 · 2013: 4
FWCI
14.84
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
www.elsevier.com/tdm/userlicense/1.0/ (tdm)
Locations
  • Journal of Psychiatric Research (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • National Center for Disaster Mental Health Research (5 P60 MH082598)
  • Older Americans Independence Center at Yale University School of Medicine (P30AG21342)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Research
  • Health Sciences › Health Professions › Emergency Medical Services › Disaster Response and Management
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Disaster Management and Resilience
Keywords
post-traumatic stress disorder, older adults, Hurricane Ike, PTSD symptom trajectories, chronic PTSD, delayed-onset PTSD, financial distress, traumatic life events, disaster recovery, Galveston Bay
MeSH terms
Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Disasters, Female, Humans, Interviews as Topic, Life Change Events, Longitudinal Studies, Male, Middle Aged, Psychiatric Status Rating Scales, Risk Factors, Severity of Illness Index, Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic, Texas, Age Distribution, Sex Distribution, Cyclonic Storms

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