CME Journal of Clinical Case Reports

Incidence Of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Among Newcomers in Southeast Alberta

Abstract

A. Nicole Burnett , Elizabeth Pennefather-Oâ??Brien, and Faustin Kadima

This study employed a cross-sectional design to examine the prevalence and predictors of probable post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among newcomers in Brooks, Southeast Alberta, Canada. Brooks has the highest immigrant-density population in a rural region in Canada (Statistics Canada, 2022), and there is no previous research examining PTSD rates in this population. Data for the study were collected through validated instruments, including the PTSD Checklist and Life Event Checklist. The analysis of the data shows that among these newcomers, nearly half met the criteria for probable PTSD, with refugees having a higher prevalence than non-refugees. For multivariable logistic regression, refugee status, cumulative trauma exposure, language barriers, and the challenges of adapting to a new culture were independently correlated with PTSD. Sensitivity analyses validated the evidence across various cut-off scores, indicating the robustness of the study’s results. While these results support previous research highlighting PTSD rates among refugee populations, this study is of particular importance from a rural perspective. 

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