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Initial Screenings of Soldiers Returning from Deployment Missed Majority of Mental Health Problems

Previous reports focusing only on early screenings of military returning from the war in Iraq missed the majority of mental health problems ultimately faced by soldiers, shows a study published in today's issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Researcher Charles S. Milliken, M.D. of the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command studied 88,235 Army soldiers who were evaluated for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), major depression, alcohol abuse and other mental health problems soon after their return from deployment and an average of six months later. Of the 88,235 subjects, 3925 (4.4 percent) were referred for mental health treatment at the first screening, while 10,288 (11.7 percent) were referred at the second screening. They were also more likely to report PTSD symptoms and four times as likely to answer yes to the question, "Since return from deployment have you had serious conflicts with your spouse, family members, close friends, or at work that continue to cause you worry or concern?" in the second screening. This was particularly true for reserve soldiers who showed a greater risk for PTSD, depression and overall mental health problems than active soldiers.

FULL TEXT: Longitudinal Assessment of Mental Health Problems Among Active and Reserve Component Soldiers Returning From the Iraq War