Quality of life of Croatian veterans’ wives and veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder

Health and Quality of Life Outcomes

Dragica Kozari?-Kova?i?²  Zrnka Kova?i? Petrovi?¹  An?elko Vidovi?²  Tina Peraica² 

[1] Department of Psychopharmacology, Croatian Institute for Brain Research, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, ¿alata 12, Zagreb, Croatia;Department of Psychiatry, Referral Centre for the Stress Related Disorders of the Ministry of Health of Croatia, University Hospital Dubrava, Avenija Gojka ¿u¿ka 6, Zagreb, Croatia

关键词: WHOQOL-BREF;    Quality of life;    Veterans¿ wives;    War veterans;    Combat PTSD;   

Others  :  1164520
DOI  :  10.1186/s12955-014-0136-x

 received in 2014-06-09, accepted in 2014-08-16,  发布年份 2014

【 摘 要 】

Background

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has a great impact on a patient¿s quality of life (QoL). People in long-term contact with a person suffering from PTSD, such as family members, may also consequently develop various emotional problems.

Methods

We investigated whether chronic combat PTSD is related to lower QoL of veterans¿ wives. The study included 164 veterans with PTSD, 281 PTSD veterans¿ wives, 115 healthy non-veterans¿ wives and 223 men without PTSD. All participants were assessed for psychiatric morbidity (Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview) and measures of QoL (World Health Organization Quality of Life Questionnaire ¿ short form). In veterans, the symptoms were evaluated using Clinician Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS).

Results

The pattern of differences between the study groups was similar across all QoL domains. Men without PTSD had the highest scores, followed by women who were not married to PTSD patients (significantly different across all four QoL domains). PTSD veterans¿ wives tended to had lower scores than either of these groups. Significant differences between PTSD veterans¿ wives and women who were not married to PTSD patients were observed in three (out of four) QoL domains: psychological health, Z?=?2.907, P?=?0.022; social relationships, Z?=?3.285, P?=?0.006; and environmental domain, Z?=?5.317, P???=??0.56; psychological health, ??=??0.42; social relationships, ??=??0.30; environmental, ??=??0.33), as well as those who sometimes in their lives they sought professional help due to having problems with their husband (P???=??0.37; psychological health, ??=??0.38; social relationships, ??=??0.30; environmental, ??=??0.15).

Conclusion

Our results indicate the negative impact of husband¿s chronic PTSD on overall QoL, psychological health, social relations, and environmental area of QoL of veteran¿s wives. Assessment of QoL may be important during the intervention and planning of specific treatment and rehabilitation programs for the families of war veterans.

【 授权许可】

   
2014 Peraica et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

【 图 表 】

Figure 1.

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