Recognizing and addressing medical trauma: An imperative for integrated primary care

Traumatic stress is an experience that contributes to a variety of medical and behavioral health concerns that present in the primary care context. The intersection of traumatic stress and health care is conceptualized as medical trauma (MT), where individuals receiving health care services are exposed to traumatic stress related to their health care experiences. Currently, MT may be an overlooked and underresearched phenomenon in health care, with significant implications for primary care teams. An understanding of ways to conceptualize, recognize, and address MT in the primary care context is an important step in creating trauma-informed primary care spaces.

In this article, we provide a description of MT from the available literature and a method of conceptualizing the experience of traumatic stress related to health care experiences through the enduring somatic threat model.

We identify potential risk factors and health care experiences typically associated with MT. Next, we identify strategies to recognize and address experiences of MT within the context of primary care through an exploration of assessment and intervention strategies. Finally, we provide a brief MT case example to highlight presentation, assessment, and intervention in the primary care context.

MT has the potential to significantly affect patients' wellness and quality of life, with the associated biopsychosocial concerns presenting in primary care due to the context and goals of these settings. Future efforts should aim to enhance the integrated primary care team members' ability to conceptualize, assess, and address MT. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).