Trauma is a common experience in the United States, affecting up to 90 percent of adults and 72 percent of children at some point in their lives. Research indicates that trauma during childhood can have lasting effects on brain development and health, leading to conditions such as COPD, stroke, heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.
Albany Medical College’s Megan Gerber, MD, and Angela Antonikowski, PhD, have highlighted the importance of trauma-informed care in a review article for JAMA. Dr. Gerber is a professor of Medicine while Dr. Antonikowski serves as a clinical psychologist and associate dean of Community Outreach and Medical Education.
They advocate for clinicians to use trauma-informed approaches with all patients. This includes active listening, compassionate responses, and collaborative decision-making which can lead to better health outcomes by providing sensitive support.
“Implementation of trauma-informed care was also associated with improved patient outcomes including reduced depression and anxiety,” they stated. They noted increased prenatal visits among teenagers and reduced restraint use in psychiatric settings as additional benefits.
In one clinical trial cited by the authors, patients receiving collaborative trauma-informed care showed decreased depressive symptoms after six months compared to those receiving usual care.
“With this brief clinical review, we wanted to educate practicing clinicians and administrators on the topic of trauma-informed care,” said Dr. Gerber who also holds the position of section chief of General Internal Medicine at Albany Medical Center.
