Work-related quality of life and posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms among female veterans

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can have pervasive, negative effects on multiple aspects of quality of life. We investigated the relationship between PTSD symptom clusters and work-related quality of life among female veterans. Although prior studies have shown that PTSD symptom clusters are differentially related to work-related quality of life, no study has assessed these relationships in women specifically.

Participants were 253 female veterans with current PTSD. We assessed three components of work-related quality of life (employment status, clinician-rated occupational impairment, and self-rated occupational satisfaction) and performed analyses with and without adjusting for self-reported depression symptoms.

None of the PTSD symptom clusters were associated with employment status. All PTSD symptom clusters had significant independent associations with occupational impairment. All PTSD symptom clusters except avoidance were significantly associated with lower occupational satisfaction, but none had independent associations with occupational satisfaction. No single PTSD symptom cluster emerged as most strongly associated with occupational outcomes. Symptoms of depression had substantial associations across all occupational outcomes, independent of PTSD symptoms.

Knowledge about how PTSD relates to occupational outcomes in women veterans is important for addressing the needs of this growing segment of the VA patient population, in which PTSD is a prevalent condition. Because PTSD had differential relationships with the three components of work-related quality of life, measuring only one component, or using an aggregate measure, may obscure important distinctions. Resolving depression symptoms also may be integral to achieving meaningful recovery.