title: The long-term mental health impact of peacekeeping: prevalence and predictors of psychiatric disorder.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The mental health outcomes of military personnel deployed on peacekeeping missions have been relatively neglected in the military mental health literature.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the mental health impacts of peacekeeping deployments.
  
  
  METHODS
  In total, 1025 Australian peacekeepers were assessed for current and lifetime psychiatric diagnoses, service history and exposure to potentially traumatic events (PTEs). A matched Australian community sample was used as a comparator. Univariate and regression analyses were conducted to explore predictors of psychiatric diagnosis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Peacekeepers had significantly higher 12-month prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder (16.8%), major depressive episode (7%), generalised anxiety disorder (4.7%), alcohol misuse (12%), alcohol dependence (11.3%) and suicidal ideation (10.7%) when compared with the civilian comparator. The presence of these psychiatric disorders was most strongly and consistently associated with exposure to PTEs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Veteran peacekeepers had significant levels of psychiatric morbidity. Their needs, alongside those of combat veterans, should be recognised within military mental health initiatives.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  None.
  This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) licence.
authors.affiliation: , PhD.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Forbes
authors.affiliation: , PhD.
authors.forename: Meaghan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: O'Donnell
authors.affiliation: , DClinPsy, Phoenix Australia - Centre for Posttraumatic Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Rachel M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Brand
authors.affiliation: , PhD, Mental Health Evaluation Unit, Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Sam
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Korn
authors.affiliation: , PhD, Phoenix Australia - Centre for Posttraumatic Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Creamer
authors.affiliation: , AO, MD, FRANZCP, Centre for Traumatic Stress Studies, University of Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Alexander C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: McFarlane
authors.affiliation: , PhD.
authors.forename: Malcolm R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Sim
authors.affiliation: , PhD, Monash Centre for Occupational & Environmental Health, Department of Epidemiology & Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing & Health Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Andrew B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Forbes
authors.affiliation: (deceased), PhD, Mental Health Evaluation Unit, Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Graeme
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hawthorne