scholarly journals Prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder among Palestinian children and adolescents exposed to political violence: A systematic review and meta-analysis

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (8) ◽  
pp. e0256426
Author(s):  
Nisreen Agbaria ◽  
Stephanie Petzold ◽  
Andreas Deckert ◽  
Nicholas Henschke ◽  
Guido Veronese ◽  
...  

Objective We undertook a systematic review of the literature to explore the prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in Palestinian children and adolescents exposed to political violence. This is the first systematic review and meta-analysis of the prevalence of PTSD in this population. Methods PubMed, Embase, PsycInfo, Google Scholar and Cochrane library were searched until June 2020. To estimate the prevalence of PTSD, sub-group and meta-analysis were conducted. Results The search resulted in 2786 studies, of which 28 articles representing 32 samples with a total of 15,121 participants from Gaza Strip and West Bank met either the DSM-4 or DSM-5 criteria and were included. The pooled prevalence of PTSD was 36% (95% CI 30–41%; I2 98.6%) and ranged from 6% to 70%. Sub-group analysis showed that the PTSD prevalence did not differ according to region (West Bank, Gaza Strip) and tended to decrease after including only studies using a representative sample (p<0.001), and among those with low risk of bias (p<0.001). Visual inspection of the included studies revealed significant discrepancies in study design and assessment measures. Conclusion We identified high prevalence of PTSD among Palestinian children and adolescents exposed to political violence. However, the pooled results should be interpreted with caution, due to the high heterogeneity and risk of bias in the included studies. These limitations also reflect the challenge in conceptualizing and measuring PTSD in the Palestinian context with a background of continuous and cumulative trauma. Understanding the contextual factors and developing locally adapted survey measures are of relevance to future research, public health planning, and the provision of mental healthcare in Palestine.

2015 ◽  
Vol 206 (2) ◽  
pp. 93-100 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mathew Hoskins ◽  
Jennifer Pearce ◽  
Andrew Bethell ◽  
Liliya Dankova ◽  
Corrado Barbui ◽  
...  

BackgroundPharmacological treatment is widely used for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) despite questions over its efficacy.AimsTo determine the efficacy of all types of pharmacotherapy, as monotherapy, in reducing symptoms of PTSD, and to assess acceptability.MethodA systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials was undertaken; 51 studies were included.ResultsSelective serotonin reuptake inhibitors were found to be statistically superior to placebo in reduction of PTSD symptoms but the effect size was small (standardised mean difference −0.23, 95% CI −0.33 to −0.12). For individual pharmacological agents compared with placebo in two or more trials, we found small statistically significant evidence of efficacy for fluoxetine, paroxetine and venlafaxine.ConclusionsSome drugs have a small positive impact on PTSD symptoms and are acceptable. Fluoxetine, paroxetine and venlafaxine may be considered as potential treatments for the disorder. For most drugs there is inadequate evidence regarding efficacy for PTSD, pointing to the need for more research in this area.


2004 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 100-103 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Mooney ◽  
Janette Oakley ◽  
Michael Ferriter ◽  
Raymond Travers

AbstractObjective: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is one of the most prevalent psychological disorders. Methods to alleviate its symptoms range from ‘talking therapies’ to pharmaceutical interventions. Our objective was to carry out a systematic review of the effectiveness of sertraline, an SSRI, as a treatment for PTSD.Method: Databases were searched to identify relevant research on sertraline as a treatment for PTSD.Results: Five randomised control trials were identified, along with seven open trials and case series studies.Conclusions: The review and meta-analysis supported the use of sertraline for PTSD though further research on sub-group differences (eg. gender) is required.


Author(s):  
Juan Manuel Millan-Alanis ◽  
Farid Carranza-Navarro ◽  
Humberto de León-Gutiérrez ◽  
Paloma C. Leyva-Camacho ◽  
Andrea Fernanda Guerrero-Medrano ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Vol 264 ◽  
pp. 286-294 ◽  
Author(s):  
Salman Althobaiti ◽  
Nikolaos Kazantzis ◽  
Richard Ofori-Asenso ◽  
Lorena Romero ◽  
Jane Fisher ◽  
...  

Critical Care ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Cássia Righy ◽  
Regis Goulart Rosa ◽  
Rodrigo Teixeira Amancio da Silva ◽  
Renata Kochhann ◽  
Celina Borges Migliavaca ◽  
...  

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