PTSD more likely to affect people in affluent countries, scientists say

Paradoxical findings show post-traumatic stress disorder may be less common in places more vulnerable to tragic events

People living in affluent countries are more likely to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder than those in poorer nations, according to the results of a study that have surprised researchers.

The scientists, from the Netherlands, Australia and London, say they appear to have uncovered a paradox. They expected to find that countries with higher vulnerability to tragic events - because of factors such as malnutrition, poor sanitation and low incomes - would experience higher levels of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Instead, they found that the highest levels were in countries that were far more comfortably off.