Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms and Body Mass Index Among World Trade Center Disaster-Exposed Smokers: A Preliminary Examination of the Role of Anxiety Sensitivity

Details

• Personal Author:
  Bromet EJ ; Farris SG ; Gonzalez A ; Kotov R ; Luft BJ ; Mahaffey BL ; Paulus DJ ; Zvolensky MJ
• Description:
  Among individuals exposed to the World Trade Center (WTC) disaster on September 11, 2001, post- traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and symptoms are both common and associated with increased cigarette smoking and body mass. However, there is little information on the specific processes underlying the relationship of PTSD symptoms with body mass. The current study is an initial exploratory test of anxiety sensitivity, the fear of internal bodily sensations, as a possible mechanism linking PTSD symptom severity and body mass index (BMI). Participants were 147 adult daily smokers (34.0% female) exposed to the WTC disaster (via rescue/recovery work or direct witness). The direct and indirect associations between PTSD symptom severity and BMI via anxiety sensitivity (total score and subscales of physical, cognitive, and social concerns) were examined. PTSD symptom severity was related to BMI indirectly via anxiety sensitivity; this effect was specific to physical concerns about the meaning of bodily sensations. Interventions focusing on anxiety sensitivity reduction (specifically addressing physical concerns about bodily sensations) may be useful in addressing elevated BMI among trauma-exposed persons. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Body Weight Mental Health Nervous System Occupational Health Safety September 11 Terrorist Attacks Smokers Tobacco Products
• Keywords:
  Anxiety Sensitivity Author Keywords: Obesity BMI Body Mass Index Body Weight Cigarette Smoking Disaster Mental Health Obesity Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Posttraumatic Stress Disorder PTSD World Trade Center WTC

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• ISSN:
  0165-1781
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Contract
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  New York ; OSHA Region 1 ; OSHA Region 2 ; OSHA Region 6 ; Rhode Island ; Texas
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  135-140
• Volume:
  241
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20050812
• Citation:
  Psychiatry Res 2016 Jul; 241:135-140
• Contact Point Address:
  Samantha G.Farris, University of Houston, Department of Psychology, 126 Fred J. Heyne Building, Suite 104, Houston, TX 77204-5502
• Email:
  sgfarris@uh.edu
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2016
• Performing Organization:
  NYC Health + Hospitals Corporation (HHC)
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  20110929
• Source Full Name:
  Psychiatry Research
• End Date:
  20170331
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:b9de61a13e6bbfe01f2818a956cd124a6b86c2c5afbce44c2d53f78845084e999660a108c9dbd64ff0dc906f3e685767e3b4dabfb1c7bb6c66bf39f8be32aa49
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/211024/cdc_211024_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 453.11 KB ]