Matamela, Nyambeni A.Wyatt, GailJohnson, Cameron Dale2025-11-112025-11-112025Nyambeni Matamela, Gail Wyatt & Cameron Dale Johnson (2025) Trauma exposure as a predictor of general health outcomes and trauma-related beliefs among older adults living in an adverse environment, Aging & Mental Health, 29:11, 2126-2136, DOI: 10.1080/13607863.2025.2541192.1360-7863 (print)1364-6915 (online)10.1080/13607863.2025.2541192http://hdl.handle.net/2263/105224DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT : The data supporting this study’s findings are available from the corresponding author, Nyambeni Matamela, upon reasonable request.OBJECTIVES : Older adults living in adverse environments such as crime-heavy areas within South African townships are often exposed to potentially traumatic and violent circumstances. Research has not sufficiently explored the relationship between trauma exposure and general health outcomes or trauma-related beliefs among older adults living in adverse environments. This study addresses this gap in literature. METHOD : This study used a quantitative approach with a cross-sectional design. 195 participants completed the Life Adversities Screener (LADS), the General Health Questionnaire-28 (GHQ-28), and the Trauma Belief Inventory (TBI). RESULTS : Explorative analyses showed that anxiety and insomnia were associated with female sex, discrimination, injury, family violence, and interpersonal violence. Moreover, four of the five trauma types were associated with self-perception, worth, and mistrust. CONCLUSION : In later life and in circumstances where trauma exposure is common, trauma remains associated with detrimental health effects, self-perception, mistrust, and a negative worldview. These findings argue for the prevention and treatment of trauma-related pathologies across the lifespan.en© 2025 the Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-nonCommercial-noDerivatives license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).Trauma exposureAdverse environmentOlder adultsTrauma-related beliefsGeneral healthArticle