Post-traumatic stress disorder and health risk behaviour among persons 15 years and older in South Africa

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the association between post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and health risk behaviours among persons 15 years and older in South Africa . We analysed data from the South African National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (SANHANES-1, 2012) (N = 15 201; mean age = 36 .9 years, SD = 16 .5; 2 .1% with PSTD, 4 .0% with partial PTSD) . The survey included questions from validated measures of the following health risk behaviours: problem drinking, current tobacco use, physical activity, sedentary behaviour, vegetable consumption, and fast food and frequent soft drinks consumption . In adjusted logistic regression analysis, only self-reporting with PTSD was associated with problem drinking . The data did not yield significant association between PTSD status and any of the other health risk behaviours (tobacco use, low physical activity, and fast food consumption) .