Lifetime psychiatric comorbidity rate in Israeli non-help-seeking patients with combat-related post-traumatic stress disorder.
BACKGROUND
Most of the data on lifetime psychiatric comorbidity in combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder (CR-PTSD) were collected in help-seeking patients.


METHODS
In the present study we used the Schedule for Affective Disorder and Schizophrenia-Lifetime Version to examine a relatively large sample (n=80) of Israeli non-help-seeking CR-PTSD patients. The diagnosis of PTSD was based on the DSM-III-R criteria.


RESULTS
We found a low rate of lifetime psychiatric comorbidity, especially drug dependence (2.25%), alcoholism (2.25%) and major depressive disorders (5%).


CONCLUSIONS
It seems that in contrast to help-seeking CR-PTSD, non-help-seeking CR-PTSD is associated with a low frequency of comorbid psychiatric disorders.


CONCLUSIONS
Only non-help seeking CR-PTSD patients who agreed to participate in the study were included in this investigation.


CONCLUSIONS
The detection and diagnosis of CR-PTSD comorbidity is important for establishing appropriate psychotherapeutic and pharmacological treatment.
Spivak
B
B
Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
Segal
M
M
Laufer
N
N
Mester
R
R
Weizman
A
A
D000328:Adult; D003130:Combat Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D015897:Comorbidity; D006801:Humans; D007557:Israel / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology