The Association of Traumatic Experiences and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder With Physical Morbidity in Old Age: A German Population-Based Study
Abstract
Objective To examine the relationship of traumatic experiences and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among a representative population sample of 1456 German elderly (60-85 years). Several studies have suggested that PTSD and traumatic experiences are related to adverse health outcomes. However, many past studies were based on special samples such as combat veterans or survivors of natural disasters. Methods Using self-report data and regression analyses, we investigated the association of traumatic experiences and PTSD with several medical conditions. Results Traumatized subjects had a significantly increased risk for all the medical conditions under study compared with those participants without a traumatic exposure, ranging from odds ratio of 1.37 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.07-1.75) for hypertension up to 5.12 (95% CI = 2.25-11.6) for cancer. There are significant associations of current PTSD with cardiovascular diseases (angina pectoris/coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, and peripheral vascular disease) and cardiovascular risk factors (hypertension and elevated cholesterol level; odds ratio of 1.94 [95% CI = 1.14-3.31]) for peripheral vascular disease up to 3.76 [95% CI = 2.11-6.70] for elevated cholesterol level), as well as with asthma, cancer, back pain, hard of hearing, osteoporosis, stomach problems, and thyroid disorders. Conclusions These findings suggest an association between traumatic stress and PTSD with impaired physical health in a ge…
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Chronic PTSD symptoms are related to poor health outcomes including metabolic disease, cardiovascular disease, asthma, cancer, back pain, peripheral vascular disease, gastrointestinal problems, thyroid disorders, loneliness, and hostility.
“Chronic PTSD symptoms are related to several apparently disparate poor health outcomes including metabolic disease (e.g., possible increased diabetes risk; Miller-Archie et al., 2014), cardiovascular disease, asthma, cancer, back pain, peripheral vascular disease, gastrointestinal problems, thyroid disorders (Glaesmer et al., 2011) to mental health factors including loneliness (Kuwert et al., 2014”
From Maladaptive autonomic regulation in PTSD accelerates physiological aging (2015) · cites this paper as Glaesmer et al., 2011
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Glaesmer, H., Braehler, E., Riedel-Heller, S. G., Freyberger, H. J., & Kuwert, P. (2011) · General Hospital Psychiatry · doi:10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2010.12.006 · Cited by 22 · see citing works
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Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Incidence of Coronary Heart Disease
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Maladaptive autonomic regulation in PTSD accelerates physiological aging
Williamson, J. B., Porges, E. C., Lamb, D. G., & Porges, S. W. (2015) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2014.01571 · Cited by 116 · see citing works
“REVIEW ARTICLE published: 21 January 2015 doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2014.01571 Maladaptive autonomic regulation in PTSD accelerates physiological aging”
BackgroundInfluentialLukaschek, K., Baumert, J., Kruse, J., Emeny, R. T., Lacruz, M. E., Huth, C., Thorand, B., Holle, R., Rathmann, W., Meisinger, C., et al. (2013) · Journal of Psychosomatic Research · doi:10.1016/j.jpsychores.2012.12.011 · Cited by 93 · see citing works
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Langgartner, D., Vaihinger, C. A., Haffner-Luntzer, M., Kunze, J. F., Weiss, A.-L. J., Foertsch, S., Bergdolt, S., Ignatius, A., & Reber, S. O. (2018) · Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience · doi:10.3389/fnbeh.2018.00252 · Cited by 45 · see citing works
Glaesmer, H., Braehler, E., Riedel-Heller, S. G., Freyberger, H. J., & Kuwert, P. (2011) · General Hospital Psychiatry · doi:10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2010.12.006 · Cited by 22 · see citing works
Self-citationWittekind, C. E., Jelinek, L., Kleim, B., Muhtz, C., Moritz, S., & Berna, F. (2017) · Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry · doi:10.1016/j.jbtep.2016.09.002 · Cited by 18 · see citing works
Gawronski, K. A. B., Kim, E. S., & Miller, L. E. (2014) · Journal of Psychosomatic Research · doi:10.1016/j.jpsychores.2014.05.009 · Cited by 15 · see citing works
Wittekind, C. E., Muhtz, C., Moritz, S., & Jelinek, L. (2017) · Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry · doi:10.1016/j.jbtep.2016.06.003 · Cited by 8 · see citing works
- Authors
- Glaesmer, H., Brähler, E., Gündel, H., & Riedel-Heller, S. G.
- Affiliations
- Leipzig University (DE)
- Universität Ulm (DE)
- Corresponding author
- Glaesmer, Heide
- Venue
- Psychosomatic Medicine
- Published
- 2011-06
- Volume
- 73
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 401-406
- ISSN
- 0033-3174 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W1995515625
- Cited by
- 144
- References
- 3
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 8 · 2020: 12 · 2019: 7 · 2018: 10 · 2017: 7 · 2016: 14 · 2015: 22 · 2014: 16 · 2013: 16 · 2012: 9
- FWCI
- 14.81
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Psychosomatic Medicine (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- 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, physical morbidity, older adults, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, cancer, peripheral vascular disease, cholesterol, asthma, osteoporosis, back pain, hard of hearing, thyroid dysfunction
- MeSH terms
- Age Factors, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Chronic Disease, Demography, Female, Germany, Health Status, Humans, Life Change Events, Male, Middle Aged, Morbidity, Population Surveillance, Psychiatric Status Rating Scales, Regression Analysis, Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic, World War II, Self Report
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