Journal Articles

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://mro.massey.ac.nz/handle/10179/7915

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Subject: search.filters.subject.MENTAL-HEALTH

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    Frequency of traumatic events, physical and psychological health among Maori
    (New Zealand Psychological Society, 2005) Hirini PR; Flett RA; Long NR; Millar M
    We examined the lifetime prevalence of 12 traumatic experiences (combat, child sex abuse, sexual abuse as an adult, family violence, other physical assault, theft by force, vehicle accident, other accident, natural disaster, disaster precautions, traumatic death (secondary trauma) and the links between these experiences and physical and mental health, via a cross sectional survey of 502 community dwelling New Zealand Maori adults. We found that the overall frequency with which such events occur in this group to be relatively high. Males were significantly more likely than females to report experience of combat, physical assault, theft by force, vehicle accident and other forms of accident. Females were significantly more likely to report sexual abuse as a child or adult, violence at the hands of a family member, and a traumatic death of a loved one. Younger respondents and those living in urban areas also reported more traumatic experiences of various sorts. There were some significant linkages between traumatic experiences and mental health (specifically PTSD, and the well-being scale of the MHI) but the size of the effects were small. We argue, that despite methodological limitations, these data are instructive about the frequency and impact of traumatic events among this group.
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    Domestic violence, psychological distress, and physical illness among New Zealand women: Results from a community-based study
    (New Zealand Psychological Society, 2000) Kazantzis N; Flett RA; Long NR; MacDonald C; Millar M
    This study aimed to measure the prevalence of psychological distress and physical illness among women in New Zealand, and to identify the risk factors for psychological distress and health, with specific reference to domestic violence. A survey was carried out among a community sample of 961 women aged 19-90 years. Among all women surveyed, 25% were classified as experiencing psychological distress at the time of interview, 22% were classified as experiencing severe symptoms of physical illness, and 17% reported domestic violence by a family member at some point in their lives. Among those women who had experienced domestic violence, the perception that their life was in serious danger and the impact of the violence on their life each contributed significantly to variability in psychological distress (22% variance accounted). An estimated 12% of all cases of psychological distress and 7% of all cases of serious physical illness were attributable to domestic violence. The study underscores the need to improve policy for mental and physical health screening and care for abused women within health services in New Zealand.
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    Gender and ethnicity differences in the prevalence of traumatic events: Evidence from a New Zealand community sample
    (John Wiley and Sons, Ltd, 2004) Flett RA; Kazantzis N; Long NR; MacDonald C; Millar M
    One thousand five hundred community residing New Zealand adults were assessed regarding their experience of traumatic events. Sixty-one per cent of those surveyed reported exposure to a traumatic event during their lifetime. Unexpected death of a close friend or relative was the most prevalent traumatic experience for the present sample, whereas combat and natural disasters were the least prevalent traumatic events. Consistent with prior research demonstrating gender differences in exposure to traumatic events, child and adult sexual assault was more common among women, and motor vehicle accidents and combat were more common among men. The present study also found that Maori individuals (indigenous people) had experienced a number of traumatic events to a greater extent than their European counterparts. These results are discussed within the New Zealand social context. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.