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Publication Details
AFRICAN RESEARCH NEXUS
SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICAN RESEARCH
medicine
Improvement in posttraumatic stress disorder in postconflict rwandan women
Journal of Women's Health, Volume 20, No. 9, Year 2011
Notification
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Description
Background: Depression and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are common in developing and postconflict countries. The purpose of this study is to examine longitudinal changes in PTSD in HIV-infected and uninfected Rwandan women who experienced the 1994 genocide. Methods: Five hundred thirty-five HIV-positive and 163 HIV-negative Rwandan women in an observational cohort study were followed for 18 months. Data on PTSD symptoms were collected longitudinally by the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire (HTQ) and analyzed in relationship to demographics, HIV status, antiretroviral treatment (ART), and depression. PTSD was defined as a score on the HTQ of ≥2. Results: There was a continuing reduction in HTQ scores at each follow-up visit. The prevalence of PTSD symptoms changed significantly, with 61% of the cohort having PTSD at baseline vs. 24% after 18 months. Women with higher HTQ score were most likely to have improvement in PTSD symptoms (p<0.0001). Higher rate of baseline depressive symptoms (p<0.001) was associated with less improvement in PTSD symptoms. HIV infection and ART were not found to be consistently related to PTSD improvement. Conclusions: HIV care settings can become an important venue for the identification and treatment of psychiatric problems affecting women with HIV in postconflict and developing countries. Providing opportunities for women with PTSD symptoms to share their history of trauma to trained counselors and addressing depression, poverty, and ongoing violence may contribute to reducing symptoms. © 2011 Copyright, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.
Authors & Co-Authors
Cohen, Mardge H.
United States, Chicago
John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital of Cook County
Shi, Qiuhu
United States, Valhalla
New York Medical College
Fabri, Mary
United States, Chicago
Heartland Alliance
Mukanyonga, Henriette
Rwanda, Kigali
We-actx for Hope Clinic Wfh
Cai, Xiaotao
United States, New York
Datamed Solutions Llc
Hoover, Donald R.
United States, New Brunswick
Institute for Health, Health Care Policy and Aging Research
Binagwaho, Agnès
Rwanda, Kigali
Ministry of Health of Rwanda
Anastos, Kathryn M.
United States, New York
Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University
Statistics
Citations: 13
Authors: 8
Affiliations: 8
Identifiers
Doi:
10.1089/jwh.2010.2404
ISSN:
15409996
e-ISSN:
1931843X
Research Areas
Infectious Diseases
Mental Health
Study Design
Cross Sectional Study
Cohort Study
Study Approach
Quantitative
Participants Gender
Female