- 10.00: Trial lecture: How should an evidence-informed and patient-centered practice for treating psychosomatic comorbidities after trauma exposure be designed and implemented?
- 12.00: Public defence
The ordinary opponents are:
- First opponent: Professor Francois Pouwer, University of Southern Denmark
- Second opponent: Professor Petter Andreas Ringen, University of Oslo
- Leader of the evaluation committee: Associate Professor Alina Coman, OsloMet
The leader of the public defense is Associate Professor Hege Bentzen, OsloMet.
The main supervisor is Professor Lars Lien, University of Inland Norway.
The co-supervisors are Professor Dawit Shawel Abebe, OsloMet, Associate Professor Ingeborg Bolstad, University of Inland Norway and Professor Jan Olav Aaseth, University of Inland Norway.
Thesis abstract
The findings of this thesis suggest that people who have experienced psychological trauma may have an increased risk of metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes.
Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of risk factors including abdominal obesity, high blood pressure, elevated blood sugar, and abnormal cholesterol levels. Both metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes are associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and premature death.
Through three studies, this dissertation investigates this complex relationship with the aim of contributing to improved treatment and care for patients who have experienced trauma.
The first study
The first study explored how patients who have experienced psychological trauma described their eating behaviors.
Interviews with patients revealed that food was often used as a coping mechanism to manage stress, emotions, and memories of their traumatic experiences.
Some also described experiencing their eating habits as controlled by stress and emotions, while others reported an experience of addiction to food and sweets or experienced loss of appetite and lack of energy to prepare meals.
These findings provide important knowledge for healthcare professionals who work with patients struggling with food-related challenges after experiencing trauma.
The second study
The second study followed a large group of patients diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) over six years.
The results showed that the patients with diagnosed PTSD had a significantly higher risk of cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes than the general population.
The association was attenuated after adjustment for socioeconomic status and comorbid mental health conditions.
The third study
The third study examined metabolic syndrome among trauma-exposed inpatients compared with blood donors.
After adjusting for age and gender, metabolic syndrome was more common among the patients than among blood donors.
The study also found associations between metabolic syndrome and mental distress, eating disorder symptoms, poor sleep, and physical inactivity.
Findings
This research highlights the importance of paying attention to physical health as part of holistic care for patients who have experienced trauma. The findings also highlight the importance of being aware of social health disparities.
While this dissertation makes an important contribution to understanding the relationship between psychological trauma and physical health and underscores the importance of a holistic approach to treatment, many questions remain unanswered.
Further research is necessary to better understand the mechanisms involved and their implications for prevention and treatment.
