Noga Tsur1,2, Yafit Levin2, Heba Abumock3,4, Zahava Solomon1,2,5. 1. a I-Core Research Center for Mass Trauma, Tel-Aviv University , Tel Aviv , Israel. 2. b Bob Shapell School of Social Work , Tel Aviv University , Tel Aviv , Israel. 3. c The Felsenstein Medical Research Center, Rabin Medical Center , Petah Tikva , Israel. 4. d Sackler School of Medicine , Tel-Aviv University , Tel Aviv , Israel. 5. e Institute of Hematology, Davidoff Cancer Center, Rabin Medical Center , Petah Tikva , Israel.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Ill-health and early mortality are amongst the most significant ramifications of trauma. Furthermore, trauma alters the subjective perception and experience of the body. The aim of this study is to examine the extent to which deteriorations in perceived health among traumatised individuals are associated with cellular health as manifested in telomere length. METHODS: Specifically, 88 former prisoners of war (ex-POWs) evaluated their health (self-rated health; SRH) at 18 (T1), 35 (T2) and 42 (T3) years after the war, and were assessed for telomere length at T3. Health behaviour, BMI, morbidity and PTSD were also examined at T3. RESULTS: The findings demonstrated that SRH was cross-sectionally correlated with telomere length. Furthermore, a significant sequential indirect effect was found, in which worse SRH in T1 was associated with shorter telomere length at T3, through worse SRH at T2 and at T3. CONCLUSIONS: These findings demonstrate that long-term deteriorations in the subjective evaluations of health are implicated in actual cellular health among individuals exposed to trauma.
OBJECTIVE: Ill-health and early mortality are amongst the most significant ramifications of trauma. Furthermore, trauma alters the subjective perception and experience of the body. The aim of this study is to examine the extent to which deteriorations in perceived health among traumatised individuals are associated with cellular health as manifested in telomere length. METHODS: Specifically, 88 former prisoners of war (ex-POWs) evaluated their health (self-rated health; SRH) at 18 (T1), 35 (T2) and 42 (T3) years after the war, and were assessed for telomere length at T3. Health behaviour, BMI, morbidity and PTSD were also examined at T3. RESULTS: The findings demonstrated that SRH was cross-sectionally correlated with telomere length. Furthermore, a significant sequential indirect effect was found, in which worse SRH in T1 was associated with shorter telomere length at T3, through worse SRH at T2 and at T3. CONCLUSIONS: These findings demonstrate that long-term deteriorations in the subjective evaluations of health are implicated in actual cellular health among individuals exposed to trauma.
Entities:
Keywords:
Self-rated health; aging; telomeres; trauma; war captivity