Declining prevalence of psychiatric disorder in older former prisoners of war.
The aim of this study was to examine change in the prevalence of psychiatric disorders over a decade late in the lives of ex-prisoners of war (POWs) and nonprisoner veterans of World War II. In 1982-83 we drew a random sample of POWs and non-POWs living in Sydney, Australia. They were interviewed by a psychiatrist at that time and again 9 years later. They also completed self-rating anxiety and depression scales. Anxiety disorders were the most prevalent and declined by half from 32.7% at the first interview to 16.8% 9 years later (p < .001) whereas the prevalence of depressive disorders fell by two-thirds from 26.9% to 8.7% (p < .001). In POWs the prevalence of both anxiety and depression declined more markedly than in non-POWs. Consistent changes also occurred in scores on the self-rating anxiety and depression scales. The psychological impact of these POWs' tragic wartime experience had at last begun to dim after nearly 50 years.
Tennant
C
C
University of Sydney Academic Psychiatric Unit, Royal North Shore Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Fairley
M J
MJ
Dent
O F
OF
Sulway
M R
MR
Broe
G A
GA
D000368:Aged; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D015897:Comorbidity; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D011329:Prisoners / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012494:Sampling Studies; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D014857:Warfare