Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is frequently reported among survivors of abuse. However, there is a paucity of research examining the association between PTSD and abuse, including polyvictimization, in nonconflict areas of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). We aimed to investigate the prevalence and correlates of PTSD among girls in nonconflict zones who experienced at least one type of abuse. Participants in this cross-sectional study were 3,011 middle-school girls, aged 11–18 years, who attended randomly selected schools and completed questionnaires. The probable PTSD prevalence was 67.5%. The rate of probable PTSD increased with the number of experienced abuse types over a 12-month period. The findings demonstrated associations between probable PTSD and exposure to five (86.9%), four (63.9%), and three types of abuse (60.1%). The strongest association was observed between probable PTSD and experiencing five types of abuse, OR = 26.806, 95% CI [19.303, 37.225]; associations were also found between PTSD and abuse with a weapon, OR = 4.341, 95% CI [3.519, 5.354]; rape with penetration, OR = 4.728, 95% CI [3.447, 6.484]; and experiencing three, OR = 6.625, 95% CI [4.325, 10.148], or four types of abuse, OR = 7.114, 95% CI [5.025,10.070]. The findings of this study underscore the importance of the need for psychological and physical health care for girls who have been exposed to abuse, regardless of the number of abuse experiences or abuse types she has experienced.

中文翻译：

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中非国家儿童和少女的创伤后应激症状与虐待经历之间的关联

虐待幸存者经常报告创伤后应激障碍 (PTSD)。然而，在刚果民主共和国 (DRC) 的非冲突地区，很少有研究检查 PTSD 与虐待（包括多重受害）之间的关系。我们旨在调查非冲突地区至少经历过一种虐待的女孩中 PTSD 的患病率和相关性。这项横断面研究的参与者是 3,011 名年龄在 11-18 岁之间的中学女生，她们上随机选择的学校并完成问卷调查。可能的 PTSD 患病率为 67.5%。在 12 个月的时间里，可能的 PTSD 率随着经历过的虐待类型的数量而增加。调查结果表明可能的 PTSD 与暴露于五种 (86.9%)、四种 (63.9%) 和三种类型的虐待 (60.1%) 之间存在关联。OR = 26.806, 95% CI [19.303, 37.225]；还发现 PTSD 与使用武器滥用之间存在关联，OR = 4.341, 95% CI [3.519, 5.354]；渗透强奸，OR = 4.728, 95% CI [3.447, 6.484]；经历过三种类型的虐待， OR = 6.625, 95% CI [4.325, 10.148]，或四种类型的虐待，OR = 7.114, 95% CI [5.025,10.070]。这项研究的结果强调了遭受虐待的女孩需要心理和身体保健的重要性，无论她经历过多少虐待经历或虐待类型。