A Public Health Perspective of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Ghazi I. Al Jowf, Ziyad T. Ahmed, Ning An, Rick A. Reijnders, Elena Ambrosino, Bart P. F. Rutten, Laurence de Nijs and Lars M. T. Eijssen
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Ghazi I. Al Jowf: Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience (MHeNs), Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University Medical Centre, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
Ziyad T. Ahmed: College of Medicine, Sulaiman Al Rajhi University, Al-Bukairyah 52726, Saudi Arabia
Ning An: Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience (MHeNs), Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University Medical Centre, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
Rick A. Reijnders: Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience (MHeNs), Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University Medical Centre, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
Elena Ambrosino: Institute for Public Health Genomics, Department of Genetics and Cell Biology, Research School GROW (School for Oncology and Reproduction), Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
Bart P. F. Rutten: Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience (MHeNs), Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University Medical Centre, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
Laurence de Nijs: Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience (MHeNs), Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University Medical Centre, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
Lars M. T. Eijssen: Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience (MHeNs), Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University Medical Centre, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 11, 1-17

Abstract: Trauma exposure is one of the most important and prevalent risk factors for mental and physical ill-health. Prolonged or excessive stress exposure increases the risk of a wide variety of mental and physical symptoms, resulting in a condition known as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The diagnosis might be challenging due to the complex pathophysiology and co-existence with other mental disorders. The prime factor for PTSD development is exposure to a stressor, which variably, along with peritraumatic conditions, affects disease progression and severity. Additionally, many factors are thought to influence the response to the stressor, and hence reshape the natural history and course of the disease. With sufficient knowledge about the disease, preventive and intervenient methods can be implemented to improve the quality of life of the patients and to limit both the medical and economic burden of the disease. This literature review provides a highlight of up-to-date literature on traumatic stress, with a focus on causes or triggers of stress, factors that influence response to stress, disease burden, and the application of the social-ecological public health model of disease prevention. In addition, it addresses therapeutic aspects, ethnic differences in traumatic stress, and future perspectives, including potential biomarkers.

Keywords: stress; traumatic stress; PTSD; prevention; public health; treatment; biomarkers; burden (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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