Baseline self reported functional health and vulnerability to post-traumatic stress disorder after combat deployment: prospective US military cohort study.

Full Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To determine if baseline functional health status, as measured by SF-36 (veterans), predicts new onset symptoms or diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder among deployed US military personnel with combat exposure. DESIGN: Prospective cohort analysis. SETTING: Millennium Cohort. PARTICIPANTS: Combat deployed members who completed baseline (2001-3) and follow-up (2004-6) questionnaires. Self reported and electronic data used to examine the relation between functional health and post-traumatic stress disorder. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: New onset post-traumatic stress disorder as measured by either meeting the DSM-IV criteria with the 17 item post-traumatic stress disorder checklist-civilian version or self report of a physician diagnosis at follow-up with the absence of both at baseline. RESULTS: Of the 5410 eligible participants, 395 (7.3%) had new onset symptoms or diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder at the time of follow-up. Individuals whose baseline mental or physical component summary scores were below the 15th centile had two to three times the risk of symptoms or a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder by follow-up compared with those in the 15th to 85th centile. Of those with new onset symptoms or diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder, over half (58%) of cases occurred among participants with scores below the 15th centile at baseline. CONCLUSIONS: Low mental or physical health status before combat exposure significantly increases the risk of symptoms or diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder after deployment. More vulnerable members of a population could be identified and benefit from interventions targeted to prevent new onset post-traumatic stress disorder.

Author information

Author/s: LeardMann, Cynthia A (CA); Smith, Tyler C (TC); Smith, Besa (B); Wells, Timothy S (TS); Ryan, Margaret A K (MA); Millennium Cohort Study Team;

Affiliation: Department of Defense Center for Deployment Health Research, Naval Health Research Center, 140 Sylvester Road, San Diego, CA 92106, USA. Cynthia.LeardMann(-atsign-)med.navy.mil

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't; Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

Journal: BMJ (Clinical research ed.) (BMJ), published in England. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2009-; vol 338 (issue ) : pp b1273

Dates: Created 2009/04/17; Completed 2009/05/11; Revised 2009/05/13;

PMID: 19372117, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 5/14/2009, IMS Date: 14 May 2009 00:00:00)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Aged
Alcohol Drinking - epidemiology
Combat Disorders - diagnosis; epidemiology
Female
Health Status
Humans
Longitudinal Studies
Male

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