title: Childhood adversity and traumatic exposures during deployment as predictors of mental health in Australian military veterans.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine whether the relationship between traumatic exposure on deployment and poor mental health varies by the reported level of childhood adversity experienced in Australian military veterans deployed to the Bougainville or East Timor military operations.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional self-reported survey data were collected in 2008 from 3,564 Australian military veterans who deployed to East Timor or Bougainville on their deployment experiences, health and recall of childhood events. Multivariable logistic regression was used to investigate the association between childhood adversity, deployment exposures and mental health.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The most common childhood adversity reported was 'not having a special teacher, youth worker or family friend who looked out for them while growing up'. On average, responders reported experiencing 3.5 adverse childhood experiences (SD 2.7) and averaged 5.3 (SD 4.9) traumatic exposures on deployment. Both childhood adversity and traumatic exposures on deployment were associated with higher odds of poorer mental health. However, there was no evidence that level of childhood adversity modified the association between traumatic exposure and mental health.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings suggest that military personnel who recalled a higher level of childhood adversity may need to be monitored for poor mental health and, if required, provided with appropriate support.
authors.affiliation: Australian Institute of Health Innovation, Macquarie University, New South Wales.
authors.forename: Wu Yi
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, The University of Queensland.
authors.forename: Jeeva
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kanesarajah
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, The University of Queensland.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Waller
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, The University of Queensland.
authors.forename: Annabel C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: McGuire
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, The University of Queensland.
authors.forename: Susan A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Treloar
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, The University of Queensland.
authors.forename: Annette J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Dobson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001315:Australia; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000523:psychology*; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D057566:Self Report; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000523:psychology*; D014728:Veterans / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: PTSD symptoms; alcohol dependency; childhood adversity; depression; military