Post-traumatic stress disorder statistics.

A significant number of people suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) today. Most available information focuses on war veterans, but PTSD is not exclusive to them. Many individuals who have experienced a car accident, natural disaster, sexual abuse, robbery, or other life-threatening events can develop PTSD. Although reliable information about PTSD can be difficult to find online, numerous scientific journals provide extensive statistics on the disorder. This page compiles the most relevant PTSD statistics based on studies and scientific articles. These facts may help put PTSD and its symptoms into perspective. For instance, experiencing a traumatic event is very common—89% of people have encountered at least one in their lifetime [11], [12]—but not everyone develops PTSD. Additionally, PTSD is more prevalent in women compared to men [3], [4], [8], [9]. Below are more noteworthy PTSD statistics.

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Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Statistics – General Information

General PTSD Facts

This section provides information on the prevalence of PTSD, the frequency with which individuals seek professional help, and some challenges faced by those living with the disorder.

United States:

Prevalence of Trauma: 89% of adults in the United States have experienced at least one traumatic event in their lives [11], [12], which meets PTSD criterion A. However, experiencing a traumatic event does not necessarily lead to PTSD.
PTSD Diagnosis: Between 6.4% and 6.8% of U.S. adults have been diagnosed with PTSD at some point in their lives [2], [6].
Gender Differences: PTSD affects between 3.6% and 5.7% of men and between 9.7% and 12.8% of women in the U.S. at least once in their lives [6], [12].

Age Differences: PTSD prevalence varies by age group:
- 9.2% of adults aged 45–59 have been diagnosed with PTSD,
- 8.2% of those aged 30–44,
- 6.3% of those aged 18–29,
- and 2.5% of those aged 60 and over [6].
Treatment Seeking Behavior Only half of Americans diagnosed with PTSD ever seek treatment [3], [10].
Racial and Ethnic Differences: African Americans, Hispanics, and Native Americans develop PTSD slightly more often than Caucasians, whereas Asian Americans develop PTSD less frequently than Caucasians [10].
Healthcare Utilization: People with PTSD have the highest rates of healthcare service usage in the United States [10].

Australia:

In 2018, 1.3% of Australian adults had PTSD [2],[7].
Among those diagnosed with PTSD in the past 12 months, 51.6% also had Major Depressive Disorder, 40.2% had Generalized Anxiety Disorder, and 37.6% developed alcohol abuse or dependency [7].
Only 14.8% of people in Australia with PTSD in the past 12 months had no other mental disorder [7].

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Canada:

In Canada, 9.2% of people develop PTSD at least once in their lives: 12.8% of females and 5.3% of males [8].
Among those with lifetime PTSD in Canada, 43.1% developed PTSD after experiencing assaultive violence, followed by learning about others’ trauma (34.5%), sudden unexpected death (30.3%), and shock or injury (22.5%) [8].
In the past 12 months, 2% of people in Canada developed PTSD [2].
Of those diagnosed with lifetime PTSD in Canada, 74% also had Major Depressive Disorder, followed by alcohol abuse or dependence (27.8%) and substance abuse or dependence (25.5%) [8].

Sweden:

In Sweden, 5.6% of adults have been diagnosed with PTSD at least once in their lives [4].
The highest PTSD risk in Sweden was associated with sexual and physical assault, robbery, and multiple traumatic experiences [4].
Twice as many women (7.4%) in Sweden have PTSD compared to men (3.6%) [4].
The higher the educational level in Sweden, the greater the risk of developing PTSD at least once in life: low (4.5%), medium (5.7%), and high (6.8%) [4].
Foreign-born people in Sweden are more at risk of developing PTSD than Swedish-born people (12.9% vs. 4.6%) [4].

The Netherlands:

In the Netherlands, 7.4% of adults experience PTSD at least once in their lives [9].
Approximately 80% of adults in the Netherlands experience a traumatic event, and between 7.4% and 10% develop PTSD [2],[9].
Dutch females are more likely to develop PTSD (8.8%) compared to men (4.3%) [8].
In the past 12 months, 3.3% of adults in the Netherlands reported having PTSD symptoms [9].
Formerly married adults (17.4%) were at greater risk of developing PTSD than married/cohabiting (5.2%) and never-married (5.8%) adults in the Netherlands [9].

Adults with a Western cultural background in the Netherlands (18.3%) are at greater risk of developing PTSD compared to those with a Dutch (5.3%) or non-Western (6.9%) cultural background [9].
In the Netherlands, people with 12 to 15 years of education have a lower risk of developing PTSD (4.5%) compared to those with 0–11 years (6.1%) and those with 16 or more years (7.7%) [9].
Unemployed people in the Netherlands (10.1%) are at greater risk of developing PTSD compared to employed individuals (4.4%) [9].
Among those with PTSD in the Netherlands, 26.2% developed PTSD after witnessing an accident or disaster, followed by 15.5% after a motor vehicle accident, 14.8% after witnessing someone being beaten, and 12.4% after having a stillborn child [9].

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Other European countries:

The European countries with the highest prevalence of PTSD are Croatia (an outlier), followed by the Netherlands and the UK [14]. In another European study, PTSD was more common in the Netherlands and France (Croatia and the UK were not included in this study) [13].
The lowest prevalence of PTSD in Europe was found in Switzerland and Spain [14].
In Europe, 63.6% of people have experienced at least one of the 28 identified potential traumatic events [13].
One in three rape victims develops post-traumatic stress disorder, and one in two victims of sexual or physical assault develops PTSD [14].
10% of women receive a PTSD diagnosis, whereas only 5% of men receive this diagnosis [14].*

PTSD and alcohol abuse are closely linked. More than 50% of PTSD victims develop alcohol dependence [14].
Compared to the general population, nicotine dependence among PTSD victims is twice as high [14].
35% of PTSD victims abuse prescription drugs, compared to only 12% of the general population [14].
Interpersonal problems are more common in people with post-traumatic stress disorder [14].

* One possible explanation is that PTSD is often perceived as a sign of weakness among men.

PTSD Statistics – Work

PTSD statistics at work.

Workers with PTSD are likely to experience a deterioration of physical and psychological health and impairment of social and occupational functioning [15].
Employees diagnosed with PTSD often face increased sick leave, reduced productivity, and a higher risk of unemployment [16].
Certain professions, such as emergency services, healthcare, and law enforcement, report higher rates of PTSD due to frequent exposure to traumatic events [15].
Risk factors for developing occupational PTSD include the severity of the traumatic event, prior mental health issues, and lack of social support [15].
Interventions like cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) have shown promise in treating work-related PTSD and facilitating employees’ return to work [16].

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Statistics – War

PTSD war facts. Interesting war statistics.

We have only used statistics from the most recent United States wars and the Vietnam War. Data from World War I and World War II are less reliable because outdated diagnostic methods were used at the time.

Nearly 30% of Vietnam veterans met the lifetime criteria for PTSD (30.9% of men vs. 26.9% of women) [1],[5].
Ten years after the Vietnam War, 15.2% of men had current PTSD, compared to 8.5% of women [1].
84.8% of Vietnam veterans diagnosed with PTSD suffer from at least moderate impairment today [1].
Between 10% and 30% of combat veterans develop post-traumatic stress disorder at least once in their lives [1].

Many soldiers with PTSD do not seek help because they fear it might harm their careers.
In 2013, 13.8% of military personnel who served in Iraq and Afghanistan had PTSD [5].
Roughly 20% of military personnel returning from Afghanistan or Iraq have PTSD [5].
20% of military personnel who have served abroad in the past six years have post-traumatic stress disorder.

71% of female military personnel develop PTSD due to sexual assault within the military.
War veterans with PTSD are more likely to get divorced, become single parents, or experience homelessness.
Veterans returning from Iraq or Afghanistan with PTSD had three times the mental health costs of those without PTSD [5].

PTSD Statistics – Children and Teens

PTSD in children and teens is often unrecognized or ignored, as they may be reluctant to talk about their traumatic experiences at home, or their parents may dismiss their experiences as “unimportant” or “just part of life.” As a result, these children and teens may silently struggle with fear and other mental health issues for years, making it difficult for researchers to gather accurate data.

Children can develop PTSD after seemingly “small” accidents, after seeing something distressing on television, or after hearing about a traumatic event from someone else. It is important to talk openly with children about these events so they can process the experience more effectively. Another helpful way for children and teens to cope with traumatic experiences is through drawing, as it can reduce the emotional impact of trauma. If a traumatic experience continues to cause distress, EMDR therapy is recommended.

A few examples of often-overlooked traumatic experiences (not necessarily PTSD) in children and teens include bed-wetting, being bullied at school, being humiliated in public or in front of friends, and watching a frightening movie (e.g., about spiders or ghosts). These experiences can trigger anxiety, which may negatively affect their social lives, academic performance, and overall well-being.

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Here are a few interesting PTSD statistics about children and teens:

Roughly 43% of boys and girls will experience a traumatic event.
Approximately 6% of boys and 15% of girls develop post-traumatic stress disorder.
At least 33% of youth exposed to community violence develop PTSD.
Children and teenagers with PTSD perform worse in school due to their condition (Trimbos).

More than 80% of children who witness sexual abuse, sexual assault, physical abuse, or homicide will develop PTSD.
Roughly 60% of youth who witness a natural disaster develop PTSD. Among high school students, this figure is between 3% and 6%.
Post-traumatic stress disorder in children and teenagers can be effectively treated using EMDR.
Children without PTSD exhibit more behavioral problems if their parents have PTSD.

PTSD Statistics – Treatment.

Below is information about PTSD when left untreated. For details about PTSD treatments, please read: PTSD treatment.

67% of people recover from PTSD after completing treatment [3].
56% of people recover from PTSD after starting treatment, whether they complete it or not [3].
Recovery rates for combat-related PTSD are lower than those for PTSD related to sexual or physical assault.

Untreated post-traumatic stress disorder often worsens over time [3].
PTSD can be triggered instantly by a memory, image, or smell [3].
Only half of those who seek help actually receive treatment [3],[10].
PTSD is treatable online.

Depressive and manic episodes in individuals with bipolar disorder may become more intense if PTSD is left untreated [3].
Schizophrenics with untreated PTSD have an increased chance of experiencing another psychotic episode [3].
Untreated PTSD in individuals with schizophrenia may make a new psychotic episode more severe [3].
If left untreated, PTSD can negatively impact work, relationships, and daily activities such as running errands [3].

Literature:

[1] Dohrenwend, B. P., Turner, J. B., Turse N. A., Adams, B. G., Koenen K. C., and Marshall, R. (2006). The psychological risks of Vietnam for U.S. veterans: a revisit with new data and methods. Science, 313, 979-982. For Vietnam war post-traumatic stress disorder statistics.
[2] Trimbos Instituut, The Netherlands. For Dutch post-traumatic stress disorder statistics.
[3] Bradley, R., Greene, J., Russ, E., Dutra, L., and Westen, D., 2005. A Multidimensional Meta-Analysis of Psychotherapy for PTSD. AM. J. Psychiatry, 162, 214-227.
[4] Frans, Ö, Rimmö, P.-A., Åberg, L., & Fredrikson, M., 2005. Trauma exposure and post-traumatic stress disorder in the general population. Acta Psychiatr Scand, 111, 291-299.

Even more literature used for this article

[11] Kilpatrick, D. G., Resnick, H. S., Milanak, M. E., Miller, M. W., Keyes, K. M., & Friedman, M. J. (2013). National estimates of exposure to traumatic events and PTSD prevalence using DSM‐IV and DSM‐5 criteria. Journal of traumatic stress, 26, 537-547.
[12] Kessler RC, Sonnega A, Bromet E, Hughes M, Nelson CB (1995). Posttraumatic stress disorder in the National Co-morbidity Survey. Archives of General Psychiatry, 52, 1048–1060.
[13] Darves‐Bornoz, J. M., Alonso, J., de Girolamo, G., Graaf, R. D., Haro, J. M., Kovess‐Masfety, V., … & Gasquet, I. (2008). Main traumatic events in Europe: PTSD in the European study of the epidemiology of mental disorders survey. Journal of traumatic stress, 21, 455-462.
[14] Burri, A., & Maercker, A. (2014). Differences in prevalence rates of PTSD in various European countries explained by war exposure, other trauma and cultural value orientation. BMC Research Notes, 7, 407.

Even more literature used for this article

[15] Lee, W., Lee, YR., Yoon, JH. et al. Occupational post-traumatic stress disorder: an updated systematic review. BMC Public Health 20, 768 (2020).
[16] Stergiopoulos, E., Cimo, A., Cheng, C. et al. Interventions to improve work outcomes in work-related PTSD: a systematic review. BMC Public Health 11, 838 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-11-838

Interesting PTSD statistics

Post-traumatic stress disorder statistics.

At Barends Psychology Practice, we treat post-traumatic stress disorder Online and in person. Book your first, free of charge session now. Go to Contact us.

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Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Statistics – General Information

United States:

Australia:

Canada:

Sweden:

The Netherlands:

Other European countries:

PTSD Statistics – Work

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Statistics – War

PTSD Statistics – Children and Teens

Here are a few interesting PTSD statistics about children and teens:

PTSD Statistics – Treatment.

Literature:

More literature used for this article

Even more literature used for this article

Even more literature used for this article