Posttraumatic stress disorder epidemiology

Breslau, N. (1998) Epidemiology of trauma and posttraumatic stress disorder in psychological trauma. In Yehuda, R, ed. Risk factors for Post-traumatic stress disorder Washington, DC American Psychiatric Press pp. 1—29. 

Alcohol is one of the most commonly consumed drugs in the world and has been used by humans since the Stone Age. It is anxiolytic for this reason, it has been used not only for relaxation purposes but also by people with anxiety disorders to suppress their symptoms. Between 10% and 20% of agoraphobic patients are alcohol dependent. Thyrer et al. [1986] reported a 36% prevalence of alcoholism among socially phobic patients entering an anxiety disorders clinic, and [according to population studies] 20%-80% of people with posttraumatic stress disorder [PTSD] are dependent on alcohol. Sierles et al. [1983], in their study of Vietnam War veterans with PTSD, found that 64% were alcohol dependent. Since the Epidemiological Catchment Area study estimated the lifetime prevalence of PTSD to be 1% in the United States population, it is clear that self-medication with alcohol for anxiety symptoms will have a major influence on the development of alcohol dependency [Regier et al. 1990]. 

Young EA, Breslau N. Saliva cortisol in posttraumatic stress disorder a community epidemiologic study. Biol. Psychiatry 2004 56 205-209. 

Adebimpe VR Race, racism, and epidemiological surveys. Hospital and Community Psychiatry 45 27-31,1994 Allen IM PTSD among African Americans, in Ethnocultural Aspects of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Issues, Research, and Clinical Applications. Edited by Marsella AJ, Friedman MJ, Gerrity ET, et al. Washington, DC, American Psychological Association, 1996, pp 209-238... 

Keane, T.M., A.D. Marshall and C.T. Taft. 2006. Posttraumatic stress disorder etiology, epidemiology, and treatment outcome. Anna Rev Clin Psychol T. 161-197. 

---