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Epidemiology

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Exposure to a traumatic event is vital in PTSD.

Reported lifetime prevalence of exposure to potentially traumatic experiences (PTEs) varies considerably between countries and, within countries, between certain groups. Up to 3% of adults have PTSD at any one time. Lifetime prevalence rates are between 1.9% and 8.8%. (1)

In the UK, although exposure to PTEs since the age of 16 was reported in only 33% of adults, current PTSD was reported in 3% (2)

The risk of developing PTSD varies with the trauma type e.g. - greater in interpersonal violence than in accidents (3).

Reference:

  1. Bisson JI, Cosgrove S, Lewis C, et al; Post-traumatic stress disorder. BMJ. 2015 Nov 26;351
  2. McManus S, Meltzer H, Wessely S. Posttraumatic stress disorder. In: McManus S, Meltzer H, Brugha T, et al, eds. Adult psychiatric morbidity in England, 2007: results of a household survey. London, UK: The NHS Information Centre for health and social care; 2009.
  3. NICE. Post-traumatic stress disorder. NICE guideline NG116. Published December 2018, last reviewed April 2025

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