Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Residency Programs at Seton Healthcare Network.
Albany Stratton Veterans Affairs Medical Center.
Psychol Trauma. 2016 Jan;8(1):72-9. doi: 10.1037/tra0000014. Epub 2015 Jan 19.
Research indicates that concerns about disruption of family relationships during military service may be associated with greater posttraumatic stress symptomatology. The current study sought to extend previous findings by examining the relative odds of a posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) diagnosis among Operations Enduring and Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF) veterans with dependent children versus veterans without dependent children. Administrative databases were queried to identify 36,334 OEF/OIF veterans with dependent children seeking care in the Veterans Health Administration (VA) during fiscal years 2006-2009. These veterans were matched 1:1 on age, gender, and demobilization date to veterans without dependent children (N = 72,668). In unconditional analyses, OEF/OIF veterans with dependent children versus those without were significantly more likely to incur a PTSD diagnosis (44% vs. 28%). After controlling for demographic variables, mental health utilization, and other serious mental illness, OEF/OIF veterans with dependent children were about 40% more likely to carry a diagnosis of PTSD. The association was stronger for men than for women. It may be of value for clinicians to consider parental status when assessing and treating veterans with PTSD. In-depth study of OEF/OIF veterans is needed to determine whether disruption of family relationships leads to increased psychological stress or parents are more likely than nonparents to seek VA mental health services for PTSD symptoms.
研究表明，对服役期间家庭关系中断的担忧可能与创伤后应激症状更为相关。本研究通过考察有子女的持久自由行动/伊拉克自由行动（OEF/OIF）退伍军人与无子女的退伍军人相比，患创伤后应激障碍（PTSD）的相对几率，旨在扩展先前的发现。行政数据库被查询以确定 2006-2009 财年在退伍军人健康管理局（VA）寻求护理的有子女的 36334 名 OEF/OIF 退伍军人。这些退伍军人按年龄、性别和复员日期与无子女的退伍军人（N=72668）一一匹配。在无条件分析中，有子女的 OEF/OIF 退伍军人与无子女的退伍军人相比，发生 PTSD 诊断的可能性显著更高（44%比 28%）。在控制人口统计学变量、心理健康利用和其他严重精神疾病后，有子女的 OEF/OIF 退伍军人患 PTSD 的可能性增加了约 40%。这种关联在男性中比女性中更强。临床医生在评估和治疗 PTSD 退伍军人时，考虑到父母身份可能是有价值的。需要对 OEF/OIF 退伍军人进行深入研究，以确定家庭关系的中断是否导致心理压力增加，还是父母比非父母更有可能因 PTSD 症状而寻求 VA 心理健康服务。
