Acessibilidade / Reportar erro

Quality of life and psychological trauma in firearm violence victims

Firearms violence can induce post-traumatic stress and reduce quality of life. This descriptive study aimed to analyze quality of life and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder symptoms of young adult inpatients, victims of interpersonal firearm violence. WHOQOL-Bref and PCL-C instruments were used to interview 95 victims during 2007 in the main hospital of Goiânia, Brazil. The Environment and Physical Health domains presented the lower mean scores of quality of life (44.71 and 48.26, respectively). Symptoms of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder were identified in 60% of victims, but no difference was detected in the quality of life domain scores between those with and without Posttraumatic Stress Disorder symptoms. The traumas due to interpersonal firearm violence may result in low quality of life scores and high prevalence of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder symptoms.

Quality of life; Violence; Firearms; Emergency service, hospital


Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Programa de Pós Graduação em Enfermagem Campus Universitário Trindade, 88040-970 Florianópolis - Santa Catarina - Brasil, Tel.: (55 48) 3721-4915 / (55 48) 3721-9043 - Florianópolis - SC - Brazil
E-mail: textoecontexto@contato.ufsc.br