title: Prevalence of a positive screen for PTSD among OEF/OIF and OEF/OIF-era veterans in a large population-based cohort.
abstract: Multiple studies have reported the prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF) veterans; however, these studies have been limited to populations who use the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for health care, specialty clinic populations, or veterans who deployed. The 3 aims of this study were to report weighted prevalence estimates of a positive screen for PTSD among OEF/OIF and nondeployed veterans, demographic subgroups, and VA health care system users and nonusers. The study analyzed data from the National Health Study for a New Generation of U.S. Veterans, a large population-based cohort of OEF/OIF and OEF/OIF-era veterans. The overall weighted prevalence of a positive screen for PTSD in the study population was 13.5%: 15.8% among OEF/OIF veterans and 10.9% in nondeployed veterans. Among OEF/OIF veterans, there was increased risk of a positive screen for PTSD among VA health care users (OR = 2.71), African Americans (OR = 1.61), those who served in the Army (OR = 2.67), and those on active duty (OR = 1.69). The same trend with decreased magnitude was observed in nondeployed veterans. PTSD is a significant public health problem in OEF/OIF-era veterans, and should not be considered an outcome solely related to deployment.
authors.affiliation: Post Deployment Health Epidemiology Program, Office of Public Health, Department of Veterans Affairs, Washington, DC, USA.
authors.forename: Erin K
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Dursa
authors.forename: Matthew J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Reinhard
authors.forename: Shannon K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Barth
authors.forename: Aaron I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Schneiderman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D055826:Afghan Campaign 2001-; D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000368:Aged; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D054542:Iraq War, 2003-2011; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015995:Prevalence; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014728:Veterans / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data