Health-related quality of life in posttraumatic stress disorder: 4 years follow-up study of individuals exposed to urban violence

Evidence suggests that Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is associated with substantially reduced Health-related quality of life (HRQoL). This study aimed to explore the impact of PTSD symptoms in HRQoL and its predictors in individuals exposed to urban violence. We follow-up a cohort of 267 individuals exposed to urban violence, derived from an epidemiological survey and clinical cases from an outpatient program of victims of violence, with and without PTSD, by assessing symptoms and other measures at two intervals, approximately 4 years apart. PTSD symptom severity was associated with poorer quality of life at baseline and at follow-up. Higher levels of depression and anxiety, new trauma experiences, more traumas in childhood and more PTSD arousal symptoms were all predictors of lower HRQoL over time. Results strongly suggest the need to assess HRQoL in addition to symptoms in order to assess the true severity of PTSD. These results have implications for the functional recovery in the treatment of PTSD.