Weißflog G, Klinitzke G, Hinz A.
Universität Leipzig, Department für Psychische Gesundheit, Selbstständige Abteilung für Medizinische Psychologie und Medizinische Soziologie, Leipzig.
Psychother Psychosom Med Psychol. 2010 Jun 16.

PURPOSE: Political persecution was and is a reality in our world. The study investigated effects of political imprisonment in the former German Democratic Republic on the current health-related quality of life and on the existence of a post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). METHODS: A sample of 157 former political prisoners was surveyed with a questionnaire containing the EORTC QLQ-C30 and the IES-R.

RESULTS: Former political prisoners of the GDR reported a lower quality of life than the general population. There is no consistent impact of imprisonment-related variables (e. g. duration of imprisonment) on health-related quality of life. At least, based on questionnaire data it can be estimated that 50% of the people in the sample suffer from a PTSD. CONCLUSION: The results provide further evidence that former political prisoners suffer from the traumatic experience of political persecution also in a long term.