The Role of Modifiable Health-Related Behaviors in the Association Between PTSD and Respiratory Illness

Details

• Personal Author:
  Kotov R ; Li K ; Luft BJ ; Ruggero C ; Waszczuk MA
• Description:
  Background: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) increases risk of future respiratory illness. However, mechanisms that underpin the association between these common and debilitating conditions remain unknown. The aim of this study was to identify modifiable, health-related behaviors they may explain the link between PTSD and respiratory problems. Methods: World Trade Center responders (N = 452, 89% male, mean age = 55 years) completed baseline PTSD and sleep questionnaires, followed by 2-weeks of daily diaries, actigraphy and ambulatory spirometry to monitor lower respiratory symptoms, pulmonary function, activity levels, stressors, and sleep. Lipid levels were obtained from electronic medical records. Results: Cross-sectional mediation analyses revealed that the association between PTSD and self-reported respiratory symptoms was explained by poor sleep, low activity, and daily stressors. The association between PTSD symptoms and pulmonary function was explained by insomnia and low activity. Conclusions: A range of health-related daily behaviors and experiences, especially sleep disturbances and inactivity, may explain excess respiratory illness morbidity in PTSD. The findings were generally consistent across daily self-report and spirometry measures of respiratory problems. Targeting these behaviors might enhance prevention of and intervention in respiratory problems in traumatized populations. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Behavior Lung Occupational Health Respiratory System Respiratory Tract Diseases Safety September 11 Terrorist Attacks Sleep
• Keywords:
  Author Keywords: Actigraphy Insomnia Mental-physical Comorbidity Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Posttraumatic Stress Disorder PTSD Pulmonary Function Respiratory Conditions Respiratory Diseases Stress World Trade Center WTC

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• ISSN:
  0005-7967
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Cooperative Agreement
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  New York ; OSHA Region 2 ; OSHA Region 6 ; Texas
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  64-72
• Volume:
  115
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20055575
• Citation:
  Behav Res Ther 2019 Apr; 115:64-72
• Contact Point Address:
  Monika A Waszczuk, Department of Psychiatry, Stony Brook University, Room 060F, Health Sciences Center, Stony Brook, NY 11794-8790, USA
• Email:
  monika.waszczuk@stonybrookmedicine.edu
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2019
• Performing Organization:
  State University of New York - Stony Brook
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  20160901
• Source Full Name:
  Behaviour Research and Therapy
• End Date:
  20210831
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:62c02ce7d75b6223502ef5e72ce1e697169215ea779b8167eac40daa29333ce5333a1e7605e1c90816a1a2d737de453def71d930eeea6a0d77f12c7b9ad5a0ad
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/213399/cdc_213399_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 246.04 KB ]