Jason N Doctor1, Lori A Zoellner, Norah C Feeny. 1. Leonard D. Schaeffer Center for Health Policy and Economics, School of Pharmacy, University of Southern California, 1540 East Alcazar St., CHP140, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA. jdoctor@usc.edu
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: This study had two objectives: to elicit preferences for current health in a sample of persons with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD ) in order to establish quality-of-life estimates for this disorder and to identify symptoms and problems that predict these estimates. METHODS: The authors used the standard gamble (SG), time tradeoff (TTO), and visual analog scale (VAS) methods for quality-of-life estimation at baseline among 184 individuals with chronic PTSD who were participating in a multisite clinical trial. Descriptive statistics were used to characterize quality-of-life estimates for the sample. A linear mixed-effects regression model was conducted to evaluate predictors of quality of life. RESULTS: The modal participant was a single, white female (77%). The mean ± SD age of the sample was 37.31 ± 11.33. On a scale where full health is 1.0 and death is 0.0, mean quality-of-life estimates for living with PTSD were .87 ±.25, .66 ± .28, and .64 ± .20 for SG, TTO, and VAS, respectively. Linear mixed-effects model regression revealed that elicitation method (SG, TTO, and VAS), arousal (a symptom of PTSD), and endorsement of anxiety or depressive symptoms were the strongest predictors of lower quality-of-life scores. Avoidance and re-experiencing of trauma were not predictive of reduced quality of life. CONCLUSIONS: Significant decrements in health-related quality of life were found among persons seeking treatment for PTSD. Although arousal and anxiety and depressive symptoms were predictive of quality-of-life estimates, avoidance and re-experiencing were not. These findings identify targets for symptom resolution that may improve quality of life among persons with PTSD.
OBJECTIVES: This study had two objectives: to elicit preferences for current health in a sample of persons with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD ) in order to establish quality-of-life estimates for this disorder and to identify symptoms and problems that predict these estimates. METHODS: The authors used the standard gamble (SG), time tradeoff (TTO), and visual analog scale (VAS) methods for quality-of-life estimation at baseline among 184 individuals with chronic PTSD who were participating in a multisite clinical trial. Descriptive statistics were used to characterize quality-of-life estimates for the sample. A linear mixed-effects regression model was conducted to evaluate predictors of quality of life. RESULTS: The modal participant was a single, white female (77%). The mean ± SD age of the sample was 37.31 ± 11.33. On a scale where full health is 1.0 and death is 0.0, mean quality-of-life estimates for living with PTSD were .87 ±.25, .66 ± .28, and .64 ± .20 for SG, TTO, and VAS, respectively. Linear mixed-effects model regression revealed that elicitation method (SG, TTO, and VAS), arousal (a symptom of PTSD), and endorsement of anxiety or depressive symptoms were the strongest predictors of lower quality-of-life scores. Avoidance and re-experiencing of trauma were not predictive of reduced quality of life. CONCLUSIONS: Significant decrements in health-related quality of life were found among persons seeking treatment for PTSD. Although arousal and anxiety and depressive symptoms were predictive of quality-of-life estimates, avoidance and re-experiencing were not. These findings identify targets for symptom resolution that may improve quality of life among persons with PTSD.
Authors: Ayal Schaffer; Anthony J Levitt; Susan K Hershkop; Paul Oh; Cathy MacDonald; Krista Lanctot Journal: Psychiatry Res Date: 2002-06-01 Impact factor: 3.222
Authors: Emma M Seppälä; Jack B Nitschke; Dana L Tudorascu; Andrea Hayes; Michael R Goldstein; Dong T H Nguyen; David Perlman; Richard J Davidson Journal: J Trauma Stress Date: 2014-08