Lanius Ruth, Vermetten Eric, Pain Clare. The Impact of Early Life Trauma on Health and Disease: The Hidden Epidemic

Cambridge University Press, 2010. — 315 p. — ISBN13: 978-0-521-88026-8In a convincing call for a new theory, The Hidden Epidemic provides the credible basis for a new paradigm of medical, public health, and social service practice that would start with comprehensive biopsychosocial evaluation of all patients. It has been demonstrated that this approach is acceptable to patients, can be afford￾able, and is beneficial in multiple ways. The potential gain is huge, and is of major significance at a time when there is great political interest in the cost and processes of medical care. Also huge is the likelihood of clinician and institutional resistance to this change. Actualizing the benefits of this paradigm shift will depend on first identifying and resolving the various bases for resistance to it. In reality, this will require far more planning than would be needed to introduce a purely intellectual or technical advance. However, our experience suggests that it can be done. Doing so will likely be the major public health advance of our time.Section 1 Early life trauma: impact on
health and disease
Part 1 Childhood trauma: epidemiology and
historical themes
Part 2 The effects of life trauma: mental and
physical health
Section 2 Biological approaches to early
life trauma
Part 3 The impact of early life
trauma: psychobiological sequelae
in children
Part 4 The impact of childhood trauma:
psychobiological sequelae in adults
Section 3 Clinical perspectives:
assessment and treatment of trauma
spectrum disorders
Part 5 Assessment of the impact of early life
trauma: clinical science and societal
effects
Part 6 Strategies to reduce the impact:
clinical treatment