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Estimates of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) prevalence after deployment to Iraq and Afghanistan deployments have varied widely. This long-term study used predeployment, immediate postdeployment, and long-term follow-up data to study PTSD after deployment to Iraq.
The investigators studied some 600 soldiers, reservists, and veterans before and after their deployment to Iraq (93% men; 69% white). PTSD prevalence was 7% before deployment, 11% shortly after deployment, and 25% at a median of 7.9 years after deployment. Overall 70.2% never met PTSD criteria, but 14.5% who never had PTSD prior to or immediately postdeployment subsequently developed PTSD. Higher PTSD symptom severity was associated with greater time between initial and lates…