title: Assessment of long-term psychosocial sequelae among POW survivors of the Korean Conflict.
abstract: Psychological and psychiatric assessments were performed among 20 prisoner-of-war (POW) Korean-Conflict survivors. Results revealed extraordinary biological and psychological abuse with weight losses exceeding 35% of preservice weights and long-term cognitive, emotional, and behavioral sequelae. The full range of posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms was seen in 90% to 100% of the cases with high prevalence of co-morbidity, specifically mood (75%), other anxiety (45%), and alcohol abuse (20%) disorders. Documented by clinical investigators at POW release and now more than 30 years later, symptoms of apprehensiveness, confusion, detachment, and depression reflect the persistence of psychiatric morbidity over time.
authors.affiliation: New Orleans Veterans Administration Medical Center.
authors.forename: P B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Sutker
authors.forename: D K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Winstead
authors.forename: Z H
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Galina
authors.forename: A N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Allain
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D001143:Arousal; D003130:Combat Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D003221:Confusion / Q000523:psychology; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007723:Korea; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D010556:Personality Tests; D011329:Prisoners / Q000523:psychology*; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000523:psychology*; D013534:Survival / Q000523:psychology*; D014104:Torture; D014857:Warfare