Threatened Health in Women: A Qualitative Study on the Wives of War Veterans with Post-Traumatic Stress

INTRODUCTION & AIM: Post-traumatic stress disorder causes distress and dysfunction in the life of the wives of veterans, which causes physical and mental health problems with the continuation of life. This study examined the life experiences of wives of war veterans with post-traumatic stress.

MATERIALS & METHODS: This qualitative study using qualitative content analysis with the participation of 16 wives of war veterans with post-traumatic stress in Golestan province in Iran was conducted in 2015. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews and by purposive sampling and continued until data saturation. Data analysis was done continuously and simultaneously with data collection by content analysis method.

FINDINGS: Four main categories and nine sub-categories including mental health (mental health problems and the memories), physical function (physical injuries and sleep disorders), captivity in life (humiliation, lack of independence in life), isolation (impairment in social interaction), dysfunction life (damage to the sons, the defect in family interactions) were the main findings of this study, which causes health threats.

CONCLUSION: Spouses of veterans have many problems in their daily lives and caregivers by understanding their needs and enhancing information systems, and social support can improve the function of their life.