title: Physical and Mental Health Consequences of War-related Stressors Among Older Adults: An Analysis of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Arthritis in Northern Vietnamese War Survivors.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We examine the impacts of trauma exposures and family stressors associated with the Vietnam War on musculoskeletal health and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) outcomes in elderly Vietnamese who were widely impacted by the war as young adults. Noting that wars' impacts extend beyond male veterans in most survivor populations, we give attention to male and female war survivors placed in a variety of roles vis-a-vis the war.
  
  
  METHODS
  Utilizing data from the 2010 Vietnam Health and Aging Pilot Study (N = 405), we use logistic and Poisson regression models to estimate the effect of wartime trauma exposures and family stressors on disabling arthritis and PTSD symptoms in male and female northern Vietnamese adults aged 55 and older.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The odds of experiencing recent PTSD symptoms are greater in respondents who report involvement in killing/causing severe injury and who observed war atrocities. In women, PTSD is positively correlated with war era child death and spousal separation. Arthritis also exhibits a significant, positive association with killing/causing severe injury.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study provides insights into the burden of conflict upon health among populations of the global south that survived war and are now entering older adulthood. The pattern of results, indicating greatest suffering among those who inflicted or failed to prevent bodily harm or loss of life, is consistent with the concept of moral injury.
authors.affiliation: Department of Sociology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City.
authors.forename: Kim
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Korinek
authors.affiliation: Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Weber State University, Ogden, Utah.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Loebach
authors.affiliation: School of Social Sciences, Singapore Management University.
authors.forename: Bussarawan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Teerawichitchainan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001168:Arthritis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology*; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology*; D014728:Veterans / Q000523:psychology*; D047829:Vietnam Conflict; D014754:Violence / Q000523:psychology; D000067398:War-Related Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology
keywords: Arthritis; Burden of conflict; Depression; Disability; Medical sociology; Posttraumatic stress disorder; Veterans—Vietnam War