title: Self-Reported Lifetime Depression and Current Mental Distress Among Veterans Across Service Eras.
abstract: Limited research exists comparing the prevalence of lifetime depression and current mental distress between veterans and nonveterans by military service era. We compared the prevalence of self-reported lifetime depression and current mental distress between veterans and nonveterans of the World War II, Korea, Vietnam, and Gulf War eras.
  
  
  
  Data from the 2012 Behavior Risk Factor Surveillance System were analyzed for 243,561 survey participants aged 18 years and older. Separate multivariable logistic regression models were computed for each service era to estimate the association between veteran status and lifetime depression and current mental distress.
  
  
  
  Lifetime depression was lower among veterans vs. nonveterans who served in the military during World War II era (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 0.54; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.43-0.66) and the Korean War era (aOR = 0.50; 95% CI = 0.42-0.59) but higher among veterans vs. nonveterans of the Vietnam War era (aOR = 1.39; 95% CI = 1.43-1.73). Similarly, current mental distress was lower among veterans vs. nonveterans of the World War II era (aOR = 0.56; 95% CI = 0.44-0.71) and the Korean War era (aOR = 0.47; 95% CI = 0.37-0.60) but higher among veterans vs. nonveterans of the Vietnam War era (aOR = 1.14; 95% CI = 1.02-1.28).
  
  
  
  Both lifetime depression rates and current mental distress differed among veterans compared to nonveterans within each service era. Understanding the burden of depressive disorder among veterans of all eras may facilitate efficient and effective treatment and allocation of mental health care resources.
authors.affiliation: Saint Louis University Center for Outcomes Research (SLUCOR), 3545 Lafayette Avenue, Salus Center 4th Floor, SLUCOR Suite, Saint Louis, MO 63104.
authors.forename: Eric Adjei
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Boakye
authors.affiliation: Saint Louis University Center for Outcomes Research (SLUCOR), 3545 Lafayette Avenue, Salus Center 4th Floor, SLUCOR Suite, Saint Louis, MO 63104.
authors.forename: Paula
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Buchanan
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics, College for Public Health and Social Justice, Saint Louis University, 3545 Lafayette Avenue, Salus Center 4th Floor, Saint Louis, MO 63104.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Management and Policy, College for Public Health and Social Justice, Saint Louis University, 3545 Lafayette Avenue, Salus Center 3rd Floor, Saint Louis, MO 63104.
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Stringer
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, College for Public Health and Social Justice, Saint Louis University, 3545 Lafayette Avenue, Salus Center 4th Floor, Saint Louis, MO 63104.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Geneus
authors.affiliation: Department of Family and Community Medicine, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, Saint Louis University, 1402 South Grand Boulevard, Saint Louis, MO 63104.
authors.forename: Jeffrey F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Scherrer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D047830:Gulf War; D006801:Humans; D047869:Korean War; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D015995:Prevalence; D057566:Self Report; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014728:Veterans / Q000523:psychology*; D047829:Vietnam Conflict; D047789:World War II