Challenges for providing health care in traumatized populations: barriers for PTSD treatments and the need for new developments

Summary & key facts

The article looks at how common traumatic experiences are around the world and why many people who need treatment for trauma-related problems do not get it. About 70% of people have had at least one traumatic event in their life. The authors say there are good, tested treatments for post-traumatic stress disorder, but many survivors—especially in poorer countries—cannot access them. They point out social and cultural barriers, like people not being believed or avoiding talking about what happened, and suggest we need treatments that fit local cultures, new ways to deliver care, and more use of trained volunteers.

Key facts:

• About 70% of people worldwide are estimated to have experienced at least one traumatic event in their lifetime.
• A substantial number of trauma survivors go on to have post-traumatic stress disorder, and this appears especially common in low- and middle-income countries.
• There are effective, evidence-based treatments for post-traumatic stress disorder that have been developed in recent decades.
• Many trauma survivors cannot get these treatments because of barriers to mental health services and to treatments that are sensitive to trauma.
• Social and cultural barriers identified by the authors include lack of acknowledgement of the trauma and people avoiding talking about or disclosing their traumatic experiences.
• The authors suggest future directions such as making treatments culturally sensitive, trying different ways to deliver care, and involving trained non-professional volunteers to help reach more people.

Abstract

There is a growing recognition about the effects of traumatic experiences on mental health worldwide. With ongoing conflicts, natural disasters, interpersonal violence, and other traumatic events it is estimated that approximately 70% of the global population have been exposed to at least one lifetime traumatic experience. Research shows a substantial proportion of survivors, especially in low- and middle-income countries, would have a posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). During recent decades effective evidence-based treatments for PTSD have been developed. However, there are significant barriers to mental health services and trauma-informed treatments are not easily available for trauma survivors. From the perspective of social psychotraumatology several core barriers to trauma treatments were identified, including the lack of acknowledgment, and avoidance of disclosure. The need for cultural sensitivity in PTSD treatments, the potential of alternative ways of treatment delivery, and the involvement of non-professional volunteers are proposed as directions for future developments in the field.

Topics

Grief, Bereavement, and Mental Health Migration, Health and Trauma Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Research

Categories

Clinical Psychology Psychology Social Sciences

Tags

Clinical psychology Environmental health Medicine Mental health Population Posttraumatic stress Psychiatry Psychology

Conditions & symptoms

PTSD