title: War stress and late-life mortality in World War II male civilian resistance veterans.
abstract: The mental and physical health of 146 Dutch males exposed to severe war stress during their young adulthood were examined in 1986-1987 when they were at ages 61 to 66 years. The veterans' data were compared with a randomly selected population-based sample of same-aged males. In 2005, 70% of the war stress veterans had died, and only 35% of the comparison group. The baseline quality of life was significantly poorer in the war stress veterans than in the comparison group. Baseline variables explained 42% of the increased risk of mortality among war stress veterans. Smoking was the largest single contributor to mortality.
authors.affiliation: Foundation 1940-1945, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. w.opdenvelde@planet.nl
authors.forename: Wybrand
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Op Den Velde
authors.forename: Dorly J H
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Deeg
authors.forename: Johannes E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Hovens
authors.forename: Marijtje A J
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Van Duijn
authors.forename: Petra G H
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Aarts
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003130:Combat Disorders / Q000401:mortality* / Q000523:psychology*; D003209:Concentration Camps; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology; D012016:Reference Values; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000401:mortality / Q000523:psychology; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000401:mortality* / Q000523:psychology*; D016019:Survival Analysis; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014728:Veterans / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D047789:World War II