Mental Health ; Public Health ; World Health Organization ; Philippines

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to determine the prevalence of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder among Out Patients in the Department of Psychiatry at West Visayas State University Medical Center and Western Visayas Medical Center from September 1, 2010 to September 30, 2011 and to describe the relationship between patient demographic data, trauma event, setting and assailants/perpetrators' identity with PTSD. METHODOLOGY: This is a cross sectional study using a Survey Questionnaire on selected out patients of the Department of Psychiatry of WVSU Medical Center and WVMC with history of a traumatic life event and diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress disorder based on the Self-Reporting Questionnaire Interview Guide, Trauma Interview Questionnaire, Child PTSD Symptom Scale Interview for patients 8- 18 years old and the Adult PTSD Symptom Scale Interview for those 19 years old and above. Statistical analysis used was one way ANOVA for means, Kendall tau-b and Spearman's rho Correlations to determine the relationship of demographic factors with the traumatic life event. RESULTS: There were 117 (1.88%) patients with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder among outpatients of the Department of Psychiatry of the WVSUMC and WVMC last 2010. Using Kendall tau-b and Spearman's rho non parametric correlations, there was a significant relationship between age (.625), marital status (.625) and assailant (.704) in terms ofthe occurrence of the index trauma. CONCLUSION: Based on the frequency of visits and follow-up of patients with history of traumatic experiences, there was a low prevalence of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder among patients seen at the OPD Section of the Department of Psychiatry of the WVSUMC and WVMC. There was a significant relationship between age, marital status and assailant in terms of the occurrence of the index trauma among the outpatients interviewed. Even with a small sample size, there was evidence showing that the younger and older adult population groups were most vulnerable to traumatic events. Likewise, the victims' civil status was also a factor especially in terms of a relationship with the assailant or perpetuator of the crime. Hence, the victims' marital status showed very significant negative correlation with the assailant or perpetuator.

Human ; Male ; Female ; Aged 80 And Over ; Aged ; Middle Aged ; Adult ; Young Adult ; Adolescent ; Child ; Outpatients ; Wounds And Injuries ; Patients ; Marital Status ; Population ; Psychiatry