Posttraumatic stress disorder, anger and hostility, and physical health status

J Nerv Ment Dis. 2004 Aug;192(8):563-6. doi: 10.1097/01.nmd.0000135650.71761.0b.

Abstract

Accumulating evidence suggests that posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is linked to both objective and subjective indices of poorer health. Less is known about processes that may explain this association. This study examined anger/hostility as a possible mediator and moderator of PTSD and health status among a sample of 134 medical patients. Participants completed a structured interview of PTSD and questionnaires assessing health perceptions and anger and data on physician-diagnosed illnesses were gathered from computerized databases. Trait anger and anger-in partially explained the association between PTSD and poorer general health perceptions. There was a significant association between anger-in and the presence of a circulatory disorder only in patients with PTSD.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Anger*
  • Comorbidity
  • Female
  • Health Behavior
  • Health Status*
  • Hostility*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Personality Inventory
  • Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
  • Regression Analysis
  • Risk-Taking
  • Smoking / epidemiology
  • Smoking / psychology
  • Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / diagnosis*
  • Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / epidemiology
  • Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / psychology
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Vascular Diseases / diagnosis
  • Vascular Diseases / epidemiology
  • Vascular Diseases / psychology
  • Veterans / psychology