Citation

Van Ommeren M, Sharma B, Sharma GK, Komproe I, Cardeña E, de Jong JT. J. Trauma. Stress 2002; 15(5): 415-421.

Affiliation

Center for Victims of Torture Nepal in Kathmandu, Nepal. mark_van_ommeren@hotmail.com

Copyright

(Copyright © 2002, International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1023/A:1020141510005

PMID

12392230

Abstract

Previous research has indicated a relationship between posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and somatic complaints. We examined whether this relationship is a result of shared comorbidity with anxiety and depression. Local doctors interviewed a random, community sample of 526 tortured and 526 nontortured Bhutanese refugees living in U.N. refugee camps in Nepal. The interview covered demographics, torture, somatic complaints, and PTSD, depression, and anxiety measures. Number of PTSD symptoms, independent of depression and anxiety, predicted both number of reported somatic complaints and number of organ systems involving such complaints. Physicians need to screen for PTSD when survivors of extreme stressors present nonspecific somatic complaints.

Language: en