Trauma Exposure and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in a Rural Perinatal Population.

Area of Science:

• Perinatal mental health
• Trauma studies
• Rural health disparities

Background:

• Limited data exists on trauma exposure and PTSD symptoms among rural perinatal individuals.
• Understanding these experiences can help address care disparities and improve outcomes.
• This study focused on screening and prevalence in a Midwestern rural obstetric clinic.

Purpose of the Study:

• To implement screening for trauma exposure and perinatal PTSD symptoms in a rural obstetric clinic.
• To estimate the prevalence of trauma exposure and PTSD symptoms in this population.
• To identify factors facilitating successful screening in a rural setting.

Main Methods:

• Screening of 421 perinatal patients at a Midwestern rural obstetric clinic.
• Data collection included demographics, trauma exposure, mental health knowledge, and PTSD symptoms.
• Utilized the Primary Care PTSD Screen for DSM-5 (PC-PTSD-5).

Main Results:

• Over half of participants (53.0%) reported trauma exposure.
• 25.6% of trauma-exposed patients screened positive for probable PTSD.
• Most common trauma types included death of a loved one and childhood sexual abuse; avoidance was the most common symptom.

Conclusions:

• Trauma exposure and PTSD symptoms are more prevalent in rural perinatal populations than previously expected.
• Broad implementation of PTSD screening and established follow-up workflows are recommended.
• Development of provider/patient training and trauma-informed care models are essential for managing perinatal PTSD.