Effect of cohabiting partners on the development of posttraumatic stress symptoms after emergency department visits for stroke and transient ischemic attack. (July 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Cornelius, Talea; Birk, Jeffrey L.; Derby, Lilly; Ellis, Julia; Edmondson, Donald
• Is Part Of: Social science & medicine. Volume 281(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-07
• Subjects: Stroke -- Transient ischemic attack -- Posttraumatic stress -- Acute stress -- Emergency department -- Couples; Social medicine -- Periodicals; Medical anthropology -- Periodicals; Public health -- Periodicals; Psychology -- Periodicals; Medicine -- Periodicals; Medicine -- Periodicals; Médecine sociale -- Périodiques; Anthropologie médicale -- Périodiques; Santé publique -- Périodiques; Psychologie -- Périodiques; Médecine -- Périodiques; Electronic journals; 362.105
• DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2021.114088
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0277-9536

Abstract

Abstract: Objective: Partners can be beneficial for patients experiencing stressful health events such as a stroke/transient ischemic attack (TIA). During such events, however, partners may exacerbate early distress. The present study tested whether having a cohabiting partner modified the association between patients' early perceptions of threat (e.g., feeling vulnerable, helpless) and longer-term posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS). Methods: Participants ( N = 328) were drawn from an observational cohort study of patients evaluated for stroke/TIA at an urban academic hospital between 2016 and 2019. Participants self-reported emergency department (ED) threat perceptions and PTSS secondary to the stroke/TIA at three days and one month post-event. Results: Cohabiting partner status modified the association of ED threat with early PTSS. Patients with a cohabiting partner exhibited a positive association between ED threat and early PTSS, B = 0.12, p < .001; those without a cohabiting partner did not, B = 0.04, p = .067. A cohabiting partner was protective only for patients who initially reported low levels of ED threat, as patients with a cohabiting partner who reported low levels of ED threat also had lower early PTSS, B = −0.15, p = .016; at high levels of ED threat, a cohabiting partner was not protective, B = −0.02, p = .68. ED threat was associated with PTSS at one month, B = 0.42, p < .001, but cohabiting partner status did not modify the association. Conclusions: ED threat perceptions were positively associated with early PTSS only for patients with a cohabiting partner. For patients who do not initially experience a stroke/TIA event as threatening, cohabiting partners may help patients maintain psychological equanimity. Highlights: Patients in the ED for stroke/TIA can develop posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS). Cohabiting partners of patients with low distress in the ED may be beneficial. Cohabiting partners may exacerbate ED distress, contributing to long-term PTSS.