Wesemann Ulrich, Renner Karl-Heinz, Hofmann Harald, Hüttermann Nils, Willmund Gerd-Dieter
Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychotraumatology, Bundeswehr Hospital Berlin, Scharnhorststr. 13, 10115 Berlin, Germany.
Institute of Psychology, Faculty of Human Sciences, Bundeswehr University Munich, 85577 Neubiberg, Germany.
Eur J Investig Health Psychol Educ. 2025 May 14;15(5):81. doi: 10.3390/ejihpe15050081.
There is currently no study examining the mental health consequences of deployed German service members in Iraq. The aim is, therefore, to determine the cumulative incidence and latency period until the first diagnosis of deployment-related mental disorders. We hypothesized a lower rate than for Afghanistan with 2.4%. All registered = 1635 German military personnel who were deployed to the mission "Training support contingent Northern Iraq" between 2015 and 2018 were included. Individuals with mental disorders attributed to this deployment were identified in a central database. Differences in latency between diagnoses were calculated by -tests for independent samples. By January 2024, = 55 (3.4%) individuals had been recorded who developed a mental disorder as a result of this deployment. Most of them (54.5%) had a post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as the main or comorbid diagnosis. There were no gender differences in the cumulative incidence (male 3.6%; female 2.9). The latency period between the onset of disease and initial diagnosis was, on average, 1.0 years (standard deviation 1.1 years; Q < 1 year, Q = 1 year and Q = 2 years). With 1.3 vs. 0.6 years, the latency was significantly longer for individuals with PTSD. The cumulative incidence appears to be higher after the Iraq deployment than after most other Bundeswehr deployments. This is attributed to particular threats. The latency period is higher for those affected with PTSD than with other disorders. This could be due to a higher degree of stigmatization. It is, therefore, worthwhile to compare the different deployments in order to be able to derive better preventive and aftercare measures as well as destigmatization programs to prevent chronification.
目前尚无关于被部署到伊拉克的德国军人心理健康后果的研究。因此，本研究旨在确定与部署相关的精神障碍首次诊断前的累积发病率和潜伏期。我们假设其发病率低于阿富汗，阿富汗的发病率为2.4%。纳入了2015年至2018年期间被部署到“伊拉克北部训练支援特遣部队”任务的所有1635名德国军事人员。在一个中央数据库中识别出因此次部署而导致精神障碍的个体。通过独立样本的t检验计算诊断之间潜伏期的差异。截至2024年1月，记录到55名（3.4%）因此次部署而患上精神障碍的个体。其中大多数（54.5%）以创伤后应激障碍（PTSD）作为主要诊断或共病诊断。累积发病率在性别上无差异（男性3.6%；女性2.9%）。疾病发作至首次诊断的潜伏期平均为1.0年（标准差1.1年；第一四分位数<1年，中位数 = 1年，第三四分位数 = 2年）。PTSD患者的潜伏期显著更长，为1.3年，而其他患者为0.6年。伊拉克部署后的累积发病率似乎高于德国联邦国防军大多数其他部署后的发病率。这归因于特定的威胁。PTSD患者的潜伏期高于其他疾病患者。这可能是由于更高程度的污名化。因此，比较不同的部署情况是有价值的，以便能够制定更好的预防和后续护理措施以及消除污名化计划，以防止病情慢性化。
