Distal Factors In Women

Distal factors need to be considered when a women is diagnosed with PTSD. Distal factors are contributory issues that exist in one’s past that make an individual more susceptible to PTSD. Xue et al. (2015) found in their Meta-Analysis study that women who have a history of previous mental illness, such as depression, are more prone to develop PTSD because they are more sensitive to stress hormones. Depression is a distal factor that is common among women, and is often seen in individuals with PTSD. Not only does depression affect women before the war, but it has profound effects on a person after the war as well. Unfortunately, depression is seen largely in women that have been exposed to MST. Boyd et al. (2013) found in their research …show more content…
Suicide rates are becoming more common, and they are significantly higher in those individuals serving in the military. According to the Kentucky Life Expectancy website (2016), the age adjusted suicide death rate in America on a national average was 12.97 in 2014. In Kentucky, the age adjusted rate was 15.97, and in Madison County, Kentucky, the suicide death rate was 11.29, which ranked them 108 out of 120 counties. Death by suicide was ranked number three in the cause of death in females ages 35 to 44 in 2014, making the total death rate 1,671. The overall total of females who lost their life to suicide in 2014 was 9,659 (Kentucky Life Expectancy, 2016). Suicide is a severe threat that takes the lives of many people on a daily basis. Military service members and veterans are at increased risk of suicide because of what they have been exposed to on the battlefield. It is vital that women, and men in the military, get the treatment they need and deserve in order to fight suicidal thoughts and ideations in order to decrease their risk of becoming victims of …show more content…
Fortunately for women, they are found to seek treatment more often than men, thus making them more successful at combating PTSD (Xue et al., 2015). Women may have a positive treatment experience because women tend to share their feelings more often than men, and are usually comfortable talking about personal issues (VA, 2015). The VA (2015) went on to say that women long for social support after the war is over, and found they relied heavily on other females who have experienced the same trauma. The VA has done a remarkable job implementing research programs specifically for women who need assistance in battling PTSD. They have initiated the Women Veterans Health Program, Center for Women Veterans, and also placed a Women Veterans Program Manager in every VA across the country (VA,