Impact of trauma history on selected primary care health behaviors
Principal Investigator
Approximately 70% of the general population has been exposed to a traumatic event, and about 5% of people subsequently develop PTSD. It is unknown how many patients with PTSD or a history of trauma are seeking preventative care, such as cancer screenings. However, researchers have acknowledged that aspects of cancer screening, especially breast cancer screening, can be triggering for patients with a trauma history.
This project will conduct qualitative interviews to understand the barriers and facilitators to breast cancer screening for traumatized patients. Their perspectives will guide the development of a trauma-informed, resilience-based health promotion tool to be tested in a future project. The overall goal is to increase rates of breast cancer screening for those who may be avoiding it and improve rates of early cancer detection.
