Reassessing PTSD’s Influence on Psychological Health-Related Quality of Life: Evidence from Middle-Aged Southeast Asian Immigrant MVA Survivors in Canada
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.53819/81018102t7090Abstract
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a psychological condition that may develop following exposure to traumatic events and can negatively affect individuals’ emotional and physical well-being. However, evidence regarding its influence on health-related quality of life among immigrant populations remains inconclusive. This study re-evaluated the influence of PTSD severity on psychological health-related quality of life among middle-aged Southeast Asian immigrant survivors of motor vehicle accidents in Alberta, Canada. A cross-sectional quantitative research design was employed involving 217 participants. PTSD severity was assessed using the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5), while physical and psychological health dimensions were measured using the WHOQOL-BREF instrument. Multiple regression analysis was conducted to examine the predictive relationships among the study variables. The findings revealed that physical health was a statistically significant predictor of PTSD severity (β = 0.197, p < 0.05), whereas psychological health was not a statistically significant predictor (β = -0.258, p > 0.05). In addition, PTSD severity did not significantly predict mental health-related quality of life (p = 0.370). The findings suggest that trauma recovery among immigrant populations is influenced by complex interactions extending beyond individual psychological factors alone. The study highlights the importance of culturally responsive and multidimensional approaches to trauma recovery that address psychological, social, and structural determinants of well-being among immigrant trauma survivors.
Keywords: PTSD; psychological health; Quality of Life; Immigrant Health; Trauma; WHOQOL-BREF
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