Age-related Differences in Trauma Exposure, PTSD Symptomatology, and Functional Health and Well-being in Women Veterans

Women veterans are the fastest growing group among the veteran population, and they have poorer mental and physical health as compared to civilian women. Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is prevalent in women veterans as a result of stressors associated with military service. As a sizable proportion of this population is approaching older adulthood, it is important to understand differences in symptoms and well-being in the context of age. Participants were 369 female veteran New England Veterans Health Administration (VHA) patients who completed a mail survey. Multivariate analysis of variance analyses were conducted to examine differences between age groups (<45, 45–64, 65+) in cumulative trauma exposure (Trauma History Screen), PTSD symptom severity (PTSD Checklist), functional health and well-being (SF-36), and health care utilization. Regression analyses were conducted to examine trauma exposure and PTSD symptoms as predictors of overall physical and mental health functioning and health care utilization. Some indicators of physical health functioning were higher for the younger group, whereas levels of PTSD symptoms and mental health functioning were better for the older veterans, and indicated the lowest levels of well-being for the middle age group. Although both trauma exposure and PTSD symptoms were associated with poorer physical health-related well-being, only PTSD symptom severity was associated with mental health-related well-being and health care utilization. These effects were not significantly moderated by age group. Findings support trauma exposure and PTSD as particularly deleterious to functional health and well-being among women veterans, and underscore the importance of examining trauma-related factors and sequelae across the life span in this population.