title: Risk of post-traumatic stress disorder among Danish junior medical officers deployed to Afghanistan is not increased.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Since August 2006, the Danish Armed Forces have deployed junior medical officers (JMOs) to the Helmand Province in Afghanistan. Research has shown an increased incidence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in deployed military personnel throughout the history of modern warfare. No investigation of the mental health of Danish military medical personnel has been performed. We wanted to investigate the extent of potentially traumatizing events experienced by Danish JMOs and the prevalence of PTSD among them.
  
  
  METHODS
  We included all JMOs deployed for one or more tours of duty in Afghanistan from January 2006 to August 2010. Potential participants received a questionnaire to their home address including the PTSD Checklist - Civilian Version (PCL-C).
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 72 JMOs were included in the survey. The completion rate was 65%. We found that 98% of the respondents had experienced a potentially traumatizing event and that 47% had experienced feeling fear, horror or helplessness in the context of such an event. The prevalence of PTSD was 0%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Danish JMOs do not seem to have an increased risk of PTSD after deployment to Afghanistan. However, further research on the mental health of this personnel group is needed.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  This study was partly funded by The Danish Armed Forces Health Services.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  This study was registered with the Danish Data Protection Agency.
authors.affiliation: Danish Armed Forces Health Service Reserve, Denmark. christinarydahllundin@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Christina Rydahl
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Lundin
authors.forename: Hans Ole
authors.initials: HO
authors.lastname: Jørgensen
authors.forename: Anders Korsgaard
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Christensen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D055826:Afghan Campaign 2001-; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires