TY  - JOUR
TI  - Posttraumatic stress disorder in the World Mental Health Surveys
AU  - Karestan C. Koenen
AU  - Andrew Ratanatharathorn
AU  - L. Ng
AU  - Katie A. McLaughlin
AU  - Evelyn J. Bromet
AU  - Dan J. Stein
AU  - Elie G. Karam
AU  - Ayelet Meron Ruscio
AU  - Corina Benjet
AU  - Kate M. Scott
AU  - Lukoye Atwoli
AU  - Maria Petukhova
AU  - Carmen Lim
AU  - Sergio Aguilar‐Gaxiola
AU  - A. Al-Hamzawi
AU  - Jordi Alonso
AU  - Brendan Bunting
AU  - Marius Ciutan
AU  - Giovanni de Girolamo
AU  - Louisa Degenhardt
AU  - Oye Gureje
AU  - Josep María Haro
AU  - Yueqin Huang
AU  - Norito Kawakami
AU  - S. Lee
AU  - Fernando Navarro‐Mateu
AU  - B.‐E. Pennell
AU  - Marina Piazza
AU  - Nancy A. Sampson
AU  - M. ten Have
AU  - Yolanda Torres
AU  - María Carmen Viana
AU  - Daniel R. Williams
AU  - Miguel Xavier
AU  - Ronald C. Kessler
PY  - 2017
JO  - Psychological Medicine
DO  - 10.1017/s0033291717000708
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1017/s0033291717000708
AB  - BACKGROUND: Traumatic events are common globally; however, comprehensive population-based cross-national data on the epidemiology of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), the paradigmatic trauma-related mental disorder, are lacking. METHODS: Data were analyzed from 26 population surveys in the World Health Organization World Mental Health Surveys. A total of 71 083 respondents ages 18+ participated. The Composite International Diagnostic Interview assessed exposure to traumatic events as well as 30-day, 12-month, and lifetime PTSD. Respondents were also assessed for treatment in the 12 months preceding the survey. Age of onset distributions were examined by country income level. Associations of PTSD were examined with country income, world region, and respondent demographics. RESULTS: The cross-national lifetime prevalence of PTSD was 3.9% in the total sample and 5.6% among the trauma exposed. Half of respondents with PTSD reported persistent symptoms. Treatment seeking in high-income countries (53.5%) was roughly double that in low-lower middle income (22.8%) and upper-middle income (28.7%) countries. Social disadvantage, including younger age, female sex, being unmarried, being less educated, having lower household income, and being unemployed, was associated with increased risk of lifetime PTSD among the trauma exposed. CONCLUSIONS: PTSD is prevalent cross-nationally, with half of all global cases being persistent. Only half of those with severe PTSD report receiving any treatment and only a minority receive specialty mental health care. Striking disparities in PTSD treatment exist by country income level. Increasing access to effective treatment, especially in low- and middle-income countries, remains critical for reducing the population burden of PTSD.
ER  -