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Background <p>Stressful and potentially traumatic life events (SLEs/PTEs) can have a profound negative impact on the individual’s mental and physical wellbeing and health. Consequently, an association of SLEs/PTEs with increased healthcare utilization has been found. However, most studies have been conducted in selected samples (e.g., veterans), and there is a paucity of studies in the general population. The present study examined the associations between SLEs/PTEs and the utilization of healthcare services in the general population using data from the seventh survey of the Tromsø study (Tromsø7).</p> Methods <p>The sample comprised 20,069 participants aged 40 years and above (52.5% female, mean age 57.3 years, <i>SD</i> = 11.4 years) who completed measures of SLE/PTE exposure in childhood/adolescence and adulthood (including a question about mental preoccupation with SLEs/PTEs), utilization of a variety of healthcare services (general practitioner, medical specialist, hospital, emergency room, mental health services, physiotherapist, and complementary and alternative medicine provider) in the previous year, and self-reported feeling of being anxious or depressed.</p> Results <p>The results showed that SLE/PTE exposure is associated with an increased use of all healthcare services, especially mental health professionals. Exposure to physical and emotional neglect in childhood/adolescence, violence, and sexual abuse showed the strongest associations with the utilization of mental health services. The strength of the associations with health service utilization increased with the number of SLEs/PTEs. Finally, mental preoccupation with the event(s) moderated the associations between SLE/PTE exposure and the utilization of healthcare services but not self-reported feeling of being anxious or depressed.</p> Conclusion <p>It is concluded that the prevention of SLEs/PTEs and screening for SLE/PTE exposure in healthcare services to provide trauma-informed care should be a prioritized public health focus.</p>

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Stressful and potentially traumatic events and healthcare utilization: the 7th Tromsø survey

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

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  • 发表日期：

    2025年3月27日

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  • Jens C. Thimm,
  • Kamilla Rognmo,
  • Ingunn Skre,
  • Catharina E. A. Wang

摘要

Background

Stressful and potentially traumatic life events (SLEs/PTEs) can have a profound negative impact on the individual’s mental and physical wellbeing and health. Consequently, an association of SLEs/PTEs with increased healthcare utilization has been found. However, most studies have been conducted in selected samples (e.g., veterans), and there is a paucity of studies in the general population. The present study examined the associations between SLEs/PTEs and the utilization of healthcare services in the general population using data from the seventh survey of the Tromsø study (Tromsø7).

Methods

The sample comprised 20,069 participants aged 40 years and above (52.5% female, mean age 57.3 years, SD = 11.4 years) who completed measures of SLE/PTE exposure in childhood/adolescence and adulthood (including a question about mental preoccupation with SLEs/PTEs), utilization of a variety of healthcare services (general practitioner, medical specialist, hospital, emergency room, mental health services, physiotherapist, and complementary and alternative medicine provider) in the previous year, and self-reported feeling of being anxious or depressed.

Results

The results showed that SLE/PTE exposure is associated with an increased use of all healthcare services, especially mental health professionals. Exposure to physical and emotional neglect in childhood/adolescence, violence, and sexual abuse showed the strongest associations with the utilization of mental health services. The strength of the associations with health service utilization increased with the number of SLEs/PTEs. Finally, mental preoccupation with the event(s) moderated the associations between SLE/PTE exposure and the utilization of healthcare services but not self-reported feeling of being anxious or depressed.

Conclusion

It is concluded that the prevention of SLEs/PTEs and screening for SLE/PTE exposure in healthcare services to provide trauma-informed care should be a prioritized public health focus.