Studies' Estimates of PTSD Prevalence Rates for Returning Service Members Vary Widely

Abstract

In allocating resources to treat posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among service members, policymakers rely on estimates of how prevalent this condition is among troops. But published prevalence rates vary extensively and are often disputed. For example, the most frequently cited estimate for PTSD among Vietnam veterans nearly 31 percent is still highly criticized. Similar concerns have been raised about PTSD prevalence estimates among U.S. service members serving in Afghanistan as part of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and in Iraq as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). A team of RAND researchers analyzed the literature to document the extent of the variation in PTSD prevalence rates for military personnel who had served in OEF and OIF since 2002 and to identify possible explanations for these discrepancies.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 01, 2010
Accession Number
ADA592359

Entities

Organizations

  • RAND Corporation

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Abstracts
  • Afghanistan
  • Afghanistan Conflict
  • Congress
  • Corporations
  • Education
  • Health Care
  • Homeland Security
  • Information Operations
  • Infrastructure
  • Intellectual Property
  • Iraqi-War
  • Law
  • Military Personnel
  • National Security
  • Public Safety
  • Security

Readers

  • Government Contracting/Procurement.
  • Military History of the United States in the 20th Century.
  • Psychological Intervention/Treatment for Stress, Anxiety, PTSD, and Related Emotional and Cognitive Health Symptoms.