School of Nursing and Health Sciences, La Salle University.
Department of Psychology, Temple University.
Psychol Trauma. 2015 Jan;7(1):58-66. doi: 10.1037/a0032508. Epub 2013 Jul 15.
The majority of women who enter the criminal justice system, most of whom are poor and women of color, have suffered from significant lifetime trauma exposure that can lead to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It is essential to identify the prevalence of PTSD among this population in order to identify treatment needs. Most studies on PTSD among incarcerated women have focused on PTSD in jailed populations, including women awaiting trial. Using a cross-sectional study design, we estimated the prevalence of PTSD and comorbid physical and mental health conditions in 387 incarcerated women sentenced to a maximum-security prison in the United States. Almost half (44%) of our sample met the diagnostic criteria for PTSD. Women with moderate to severe PTSD symptoms were more likely to report several comorbid physical and mental health conditions than were women without PTSD. Women with the most severe symptoms were most likely to report receiving mental health treatment in prison; women with moderate to severe symptoms were less likely to report receiving similar mental health care. Our findings add support to the link between PTSD and comorbid physical and mental health conditions and suggest that many women with PTSD are not receiving mental health treatment that is likely to benefit them. Because prison has become the mental health safety net for some of the nation's most vulnerable women, it is imperative that prisons provide evidence-based PTSD treatment during incarceration.
大多数进入刑事司法系统的女性，其中大多数是贫困和有色人种的女性，都曾遭受过重大的终生创伤暴露，这可能导致创伤后应激障碍（PTSD）。为了确定治疗需求，有必要确定这一人群中 PTSD 的患病率。大多数关于被监禁女性 PTSD 的研究都集中在被监禁人群中的 PTSD 上，包括等待审判的女性。本研究采用横断面研究设计，在美国一所最高安全级别的监狱中，对 387 名被判刑的被监禁女性进行了 PTSD 及合并的身体和心理健康状况的患病率估计。我们样本中的近一半（44%）符合 PTSD 的诊断标准。有中度至重度 PTSD 症状的女性比没有 PTSD 的女性更有可能报告多种合并的身体和心理健康状况。症状最严重的女性最有可能报告在监狱中接受心理健康治疗；有中度至重度症状的女性不太可能报告接受类似的心理健康护理。我们的研究结果支持 PTSD 与合并的身体和心理健康状况之间的联系，并表明许多患有 PTSD 的女性没有接受可能对她们有益的心理健康治疗。由于监狱已经成为一些国家最脆弱女性的心理健康安全网，因此监狱在监禁期间提供基于证据的 PTSD 治疗至关重要。
