Objective: This study described trauma exposure and investigated mediational effects of mental health on the relationships between trauma and pain, sleep, smoking, and general health.
Method: Participants were 210 low-income primary care patients. The study used a crosssectional, self-report survey design.
Results: Eighty-five percent of the sample reported adult trauma and 54% reported four or more childhood traumas. Moderate or higher depression and anxiety levels were present in 59% and 48% of participants, respectively. Structural equation model fit was good for sleep, pain, and general health, showing that trauma indirectly affected health variables via mental health.
Conclusions: Participants endorsed substantial adult and childhood trauma, which likely had cascading effects on mental health and common primary care presenting health issues.
Keywords: primary care psychology; safety net; trauma.
© 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.