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Age differences in PTSD among Canadian veterans: age and health as predictors of PTSD severity

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 September 2014

Candace Konnert  and
May Wong
Candace Konnert*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta T2N 1N4, Canada
May Wong
Affiliation:
Carewest Operational Stress Injury Clinic, Calgary, Alberta T3A 0E2, Canada
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: Candace Konnert, Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, Alberta T2N 1N4, Canada. Phone: +403-220-4976; Fax: +403-282-8249. Email: konnert@ucalgary.ca.
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Abstract

Background:

To date, few studies have investigated age differences in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and none has examined age differences across symptom clusters: avoidance, re-experiencing, and hyperarousal. The first objective of this study was to investigate age differences in PTSD and its three symptom clusters. The second objective was to examine age and indices of health as predictors of PTSD symptom severity.

Methods:

Participants were 104 male veterans, aged 22 to 87 years, receiving specialized mental health outpatient services. Assessments included measures of health-related quality of life, pain severity, number of chronic health conditions, and symptoms of PTSD, both in total and on the symptom clusters.

Results:

There were significant age differences across age groups, with older veterans consistently reporting lower PTSD symptom severity, both in total and on each of the symptom clusters. Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that the inclusion of health indices accounted for significantly more variance in PTSD symptoms over and above that accounted for by age alone. Pain severity was a significant predictor of PTSD total and the three symptom clusters.

Conclusions: This is the first study to report lower levels of PTSD severity among older veterans across symptom clusters. These findings are discussed in relation to age differences in the experiencing and processing of emotion, autobiographical memory, and combat experiences. This study also emphasizes the importance of assessing pain in those with symptoms of PTSD, particularly older veterans who are less likely to receive specialized mental healthcare.

Keywords

PTSDage differencesphysical healthpainveterans
Type
Research Article
Information
International Psychogeriatrics , Volume 27 , Issue 2 , February 2015 , pp. 297 - 304
Copyright
Copyright © International Psychogeriatric Association 2014 

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