Psychological trauma in the 7th Tromsø survey
Throughout life, many people will experience stressful or potentially traumatic events, such as accidents, violence, or sexual assault. Research has shown a clear connection between such traumatic experiences and both somatic and mental health issues.
The aim of this research project is to map the prevalence of traumatic life events in the 7th Tromsø Study and examine how these events are associated with various health variables. Among other things, the project will investigate anxiety, depression, alcohol and tobacco use, obesity, diabetes, sleep difficulties, oral health, pain, as well as respiratory, skin, and cardiovascular diseases. Additionally, it will explore how traumatic events influence the use of prescription medications, healthcare services, and mortality.
The study will also explore factors that may moderate or mediate the effects of traumatic events. Examples of moderating factors include personality, social support, resilience, and physical activity, while metabolic and neuroendocrine risk factors may serve as potential mediating mechanisms. Furthermore, the project opens up the possibility of investigating genetic risks for the development of psychopathology, gene-environment interactions, and epigenetic mechanisms that may explain these associations.
The results of the study will provide valuable insights into how stressful life events affect somatic and mental health, as well as which factors may protect against or exacerbate such effects. This will contribute to increased knowledge about health challenges in the population and lay the foundation for better prevention and treatment.
The research group for clinical psychology, in collaboration with colleagues from the Department of Clinical Dentistry, has developed the eleven questions about stressful and potentially traumatic life events included in the 7th Tromsø Study.
Additionally, the research group for clinical psychology collaborates with colleagues from several other institutes at the Faculty of Health Sciences at UiT, including the Department of Clinical Medicine.
See also here
Publications:
Thimm, J. C., Kristoffersen, A. E., & Ringberg, U. (2020). The prevalence of severe grief reactions after bereavement and their associations with mental health, physical health, and health service utilization: A population-based study. European Journal of Psychotraumatology. 11:1. doi:10.1080/20008198.2020.1844440
Nermo, H., Willumsen, T., Rognmo, K., Thimm, J., Wang, C. E. A., & Johnsen, J.-A. K. (2021). Dental anxiety and potentially traumatic events: A cross-sectional study based on the Tromsø Study: Tromsø 7. BMC Oral health, 21, 600. doi:10.1186/s12903-021-01968-4
Thimm, J.C., Rognmo, K., Rye, M., Flåm, A. M., Næss, E. T., Skre, I. & Wang, C. E. A. (2023). The prevalence of potentially traumatic events in the seventh survey of the population-based Tromsø study (Tromsø 7). Scandinavian Journal of Public Health, 51(7), 1050-1060. doi:10.1177/14034948211051511
Thimm, J. C., Rognmo, K., Nermo, H., Johnsen, J.-A-. K., Skre, I., & Wang, C. E. A. (2023). Associations between stressful life events in childhood/adolescence and adulthood: Results from the 7th Tromsø survey, European Journal of Psychotraumatology, 14:2. doi:10.1080/20008066.2023.2237360
Husberg-Bru, V., Hopstock, L. A., Thimm, J. C., Lid, T. G., Rognmo, K., Wang, C. E. A. W. & Gustavson, K. (2024). Potentially traumatic events and the association with hazardous alcohol use in 19,128 middle aged and elderly adults: the Tromsø Study 2015–2016. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology. doi:10.1007/s00127-024-02801-3
Thimm, J. C., Rognmo, K., Skre, I., & Wang, C. E. A. (2025). Stressful and potentially traumatic events and healthcare utilization: The 7th Tromsø survey. BMC Health Services Research. doi.org/10.1186/s12913-025-12604-0
Caglayan, S., Høye, A., Thimm, J. C., Wang, C. E. A., & Grønli, O. K. (2025). Association of adverse childhood experiences with physical illness and self-rated health in the population based Tromsø Study. European Journal of Public Health. doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/ckaf031
Nermo, H., Goll, B. J., Isaksen, S., Trondsen, S. E., Rognmo, K., Thimm, J. C., Wang, C. E. A.,Willumsen, T., & Johnsen, J. A. K. (2025). Associations between cumulative exposure to potentially traumatic events and self-reported oral health in the Tromsø study: Tromsø7. BMC Oral Health. doi.org/10.1186/s12903-025-06005-2
Members:
Financial/grant information:
Internally funded by the Department of Psychology, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, and several smaller funding sources for individual articles.