The Prevalence of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in Self-Identified South Asians
What is PTSD?
PTSD is a disorder in which a person has difficulty recovering after being exposed to a terrifying event, and common symptoms include nightmares, hypervigilance, sleep difficulties, anxiety, depression, repeated memories of the traumatic incident, and avoidance of situations similar to that of the trauma.
One in eleven people will be diagnosed with PTSD at some point in their lives, and it affects about 8 million people per given year. Soldiers and veterans are most susceptible to trauma, and therefore, to PTSD. But this “soldier’s disease” has been given multiple names in its past, including “shell-shock” during World War I and “combat fatigue” in the time of World War II. Although these descriptions corresponded to the same disease and the idea that PTSD only affected war veterans was erroneous.
Causes of PTSD
What determines the susceptibility to PTSD after a traumatic event?
Risk Factors
PTSD can occur after any trauma, included but not limited to sexual or physical assault or abuse, natural disasters, terrorist attacks, sudden losses of loved ones, vehicle crashes, war, and childhood neglect. One prime example of PTSD in a large-scale situation is the aftermath of 9/11, during which one study showed that 20% of the residents living near the World Trade Center on Canal Street had PTSD from the attacks. Risk factors for PTSD include histories of substance abuse, mental illness, physical and sexual assault, and high-stress level in daily life. Especially after the traumatic event, people are more likely to be affected without a proper support system or coping mechanism. One common misconception is between Acute Stress Disorder and PTSD, while Acute Stress Disorder occurs right after a trauma, PTSD can take up to six months to fully show up, hence why taking care after trauma is vital. Women are twice as likely to get PTSD simply for the reason that they’re the more common target for sexual assault and rape.
Role of Genetics in PTSD
Family history is one of the biggest factors for mental illnesses and neurodegenerative disorders, and PTSD is no different. Susceptibility to PTSD also has genetic components and environmental effects as a result of trauma, that leaves a chemical (epigenetic) mark on your genes, as illustrated in this figure.
Geographical Prevalence
Current research in PTSD based on geographic location shows a very limited reach, and studies generally only research into countries in Europe and the Americas. Countries like Canada show the highest PTSD-affected population, at 9.20%, while China has the lowest rate, with only 0.30% reported with PTSD. As seen, the South Asian region has been greyed out, only limited studies have been done in the villages surrounding Pakistan, Bangladesh, and India investigating the effects of low natural resources and disasters
