Exposição a trauma e transtorno de estresse pós-traumático em usuárias de crack Trauma exposure and posttraumatic stress disorder in crack cocaine users

ABSTRACT Objective: To determine the occurrence of trauma and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in a sample of women addicted to crack cocaine type. The sample comprised 99 Method:women, between 18 and 52 years admitted to a detoxification unit and extensively assessed by SCID-I and ASI-6. Results: There was a trauma exposure rate of 86.9% among women ad-dicted to crack cocaine type. The rate of PTSD in the sample was 15.1%. The clusters of reexpe -riencing and hyperarousal were the most frequent, 24.4% and 20.9% respectively. Among the types of events reported most frequently were suffering assault/physical abuse and witnessing violence to others. Conclusion: The results suggest a frequent exposure to traumatic events. With regard to age of the traumatic experience, it is suggested that users exposed to trauma during childhood and adolescence showed a beginning drug use at earlier ages than those whose trauma occurred in adulthood. 1 Pontificia Universidade Catolica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Nucleo de Estudos e Pesquisa em Trauma e Estresse (NEPTE).2 Sistema de Saude Mae de Deus.3 Universidade Federal de Ciencias da Saude de Porto Alegre (UFCSPA), Programa de Pos-Graduacao em Ciencias da Saude.4 Instituto de Pesquisas Biomedicas (IPB).Endereco para correspondencia: Rodrigo Grassi OliveiraPontificia Universidade Catolica do Rio Grande do SulPrograma de Pos-Graduacao em Psicologia e Instituto de Pesquisas BiomedicasAv. Ipiranga, 6681, predio 11, sala 93690619-900 - Porto Alegre, RS, BrasilE-mail: rodrigo.grassi@pucrs.br