Traumatic events and predictive factors for posttraumatic symptoms in displaced Bosnian women in a war zone

A study was conducted among 209 displaced women attending a Women`s center in a war zone in B-H in 1994. Information on war-related traumatic events, sociodemographic factors and posttraumatic symptomaatology was collected by means of a questionnaire. Posttraumatic symptoms were registered by using a10-item Post-traumatic symptom scale Women with six or more symptoms were classified as a "post-traumatic symptom case (PTS-case). Among women who had survived the most severe traumas the proportion of PTS-cases was highest. High number of traumas, having children, being over 25 years of age and the reporting of an absent husband were characteristics associated with being a PTS-case. In the multivariate analysis, severe trauma and reporting of an absent husband remained significantly associated with PTS-cases. Clinical implications were discussed.