Review Examines Impact of Trauma-Informed Care on Patient Health, Experience

Trauma impacts most of the U.S. population at some point: Up to 90 percent of adults and 72 percent of children in the U.S. have experienced some form of lifetime trauma. Studies have also shown that trauma occurring during childhood can affect brain development and lead to lifelong health consequences, including higher risk for COPD, stroke, heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.

Drawing on this research, Albany Medical College colleagues Megan Gerber, MD, professor of Medicine, and Angela Antonikowski, PhD, clinical psychologist and associate dean of Community Outreach and Medical Education, explain in a review article for JAMA why it’s critically important for clinicians to incorporate trauma-informed care with all patients.

According to Drs. Gerber and Antonikowski, using a trauma-informed approach when communicating with patients and during patient exams—including active listening, compassionate responses, and collaborative decision-making—helps clinicians provide sensitive and supportive care and may lead to better health outcomes.

“Implementation of trauma-informed care was also associated with improved patient outcomes including reduced depression and anxiety, increased prenatal visits among teenagers, and reduced restraint use in psychiatric settings,” they write.

Further, in one clinical trial, the group receiving collaborative trauma-informed care experienced decreased depressive symptoms at six-month follow-up compared with the group receiving usual care.

“With this brief clinical review, we wanted to educate practicing clinicians and administrators on the topic of trauma-informed care, with the hope of improving clinical care for everyone,” noted Dr. Gerber, who is also section chief of General Internal Medicine at Albany Medical Center.