title: Sexual violence and mental health symptoms among National Guard and Reserve soldiers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Reserve and National Guard (NG) soldiers report disproportionate mental health problems relative to active duty military upon returning from the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts. However, few studies have examined whether exposure to particular types of traumatic events (e.g., lifetime sexual violence) is associated with this increased burden of psychopathology.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The current study examined the prevalence of lifetime sexual violence exposure as well as the adjusted odds and population attributable fraction of psychopathology associated with sexual violence in a large sample of male and female Reserve and NG soldiers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Baseline structured telephone interviews were conducted in 2009.
  
  
  METHODS
  1,030 Reserve (23 % female) and 973 NG (15 % female) soldiers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Four items assessed lifetime and deployment-related sexual violence. Probable lifetime and past-year posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression were assessed with the PTSD Checklist and the Patient Health Questionnaire, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Lifetime sexual violence prevalence was 37.4 % and 27.6 % among Reserve and NG women, and 4.3 % and 3.7 % among Reserve and NG men, respectively. Recent deployment-related sexual violence ranged from 1.4 to 2.6 % for women and 0 % for men. Regression analyses indicated that the adjusted odds of probable past-year and lifetime PTSD and depression were 1.2 to 3.5 times greater among those reporting sexual violence relative to non-victims. The proportion of probable lifetime PTSD and depression attributable to sexual violence was 45.2 % and 16.6 %, respectively, in the Reserves, and 10.3 % and 6.2 %, respectively, in the NG.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Lifetime sexual violence prevalence was high among female soldiers, with approximately one-third of Reserve and National Guard women reporting a history. The majority of sexual violence was not related to the most recent deployment; however, sexual violence contributed to a high burden of psychopathology. Findings emphasize a need to screen for lifetime sexual violence and associated mental disorders in military samples.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University, 722 West 168th Street, Rm 520, New York, NY, 10032, USA, klw2153@columbia.edu.
authors.forename: Kate
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Walsh
authors.forename: Karestan C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Koenen
authors.forename: Gregory H
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ursano
authors.forename: Robert K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Gifford
authors.forename: Carol S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Fullerton
authors.forename: Sandro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Galea
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015995:Prevalence; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011594:Psychometrics; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012742:Sex Offenses / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
references.citation: J Clin Psychiatry. 2011 Aug;72(8):1072-8
references.pmid: 21899816
references.citation: J Interpers Violence. 2008 Nov;23(11):1636-53
references.pmid: 18319371
references.citation: Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci. 2006 Aug;256(5):299-306
references.pmid: 16783498
references.citation: Trauma Violence Abuse. 2008 Oct;9(4):250-69
references.pmid: 18936282
references.citation: Violence Against Women. 2007 Sep;13(9):927-44
references.pmid: 17704052
references.citation: JAMA. 2007 Nov 14;298(18):2141-8
references.pmid: 18000197
references.citation: Behav Res Ther. 1996 Aug;34(8):669-73
references.pmid: 8870294
references.citation: Am J Public Health. 2010 Aug;100(8):1409-12
references.pmid: 20558808
references.citation: J Rehabil Res Dev. 2008;45(3):409-19
references.pmid: 18629749
references.citation: Soc Sci Med. 2008 Nov;67(10):1589-95
references.pmid: 18774211
references.citation: J Gen Intern Med. 2001 Sep;16(9):606-13
references.pmid: 11556941
references.citation: Behav Med. 2000 Spring;26(1):23-33
references.pmid: 10971881
references.citation: Am J Public Health. 2009 Sep;99(9):1651-8
references.pmid: 19608954
references.citation: JAMA. 2006 Mar 1;295(9):1023-32
references.pmid: 16507803
references.citation: J Trauma Dissociation. 2011;12(3):244-60
references.pmid: 21534094
references.citation: J Trauma Stress. 2008 Oct;21(5):455-62
references.pmid: 18956444
references.citation: Drug Alcohol Depend. 2012 Aug 1;124(3):193-9
references.pmid: 22342428
references.citation: Am J Public Health. 2008 May;98(5):946-52
references.pmid: 18381992
references.citation: J Trauma Stress. 2004 Jun;17(3):203-11
references.pmid: 15253092
references.citation: J Consult Clin Psychol. 1987 Apr;55(2):162-70
references.pmid: 3494755
references.citation: Ann Epidemiol. 2007 Sep;17(9):643-53
references.pmid: 17553702