Prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder, depression and anxiety in a community sample of New Zealand Vietnam War veterans.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of the paper is to investigate the prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression and anxiety in a community sample of New Zealand Vietnam War veterans.


METHODS
Data were collected as part of a national survey on the health and mental health of New Zealand Vietnam veterans. Five hundred and seventy-three randomly selected male Vietnam veterans participated in a postal survey. The questionnaire contained a number of demographic, biographical and psychological measures.


RESULTS
The results revealed that 10% of the veterans could be classified as PTSD cases and that these veterans exhibited high levels of depression and anxiety. In PTSD cases, 15% were also classified with anxiety, 6% with depression, and 73% were classified with both anxiety and depression. In PTSD cases 94% were classified with more than one additional disorder. In non-PTSD cases 27% were classified with anxiety, and 1% with depression, while 12% experienced both anxiety and depression.


CONCLUSIONS
The consequences of comorbidity for research and treatment are discussed and it is suggested that health professionals should be attentive to military experience as a predictor of these disorders.
Long
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N
Department of Psychology, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand.
MacDonald
C
C
Chamberlain
K
K
D000328:Adult; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D003130:Combat Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009520:New Zealand / Q000453:epidemiology; D010555:Personality Inventory; D012494:Sampling Studies; D014728:Veterans / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014744:Vietnam