Abstract
Research on psychological trauma and women's health reveals a relationship between posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. Although most of the research associating PTSD symptoms with physical health has been conducted with male veterans, the present chapter summarizes recent research that addresses these relationships among women. We review the literature on the prevalence of CVD and risk factors for CVD (e.g., overweight, high blood pressure, smoking, and unhealthy lipid levels) among women with PTSD, and report data from our own ongoing research that suggests obesity/overweight and unhealthy lipid profiles are particular problems among women with PTSD. We will also address the implications of increased cardiovascular risk in PTSD on health-related quality of life (HRQOL), and discuss potential approaches to intervention that may decrease CVD risk factors and enhance quality of life (QOL) in this population.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | The Psychology of Women |
| Subtitle of host publication | Diverse Perspectives from the Modern World |
| Editors | Jamie Marich |
| Publisher | Nova Science Publishers, Inc |
| Pages | 173-202 |
| Number of pages | 30 |
| ISBN (Print) | 9781622578993 |
| State | Published - Feb 2013 |
ASJC Scopus Subject Areas
- General Medicine
- General Psychology
Disciplines
- Psychology