Risk factors for mental disorder hospitalization after the Persian Gulf War: U.S. Armed Forces, June 1, 1991-September 30, 1993

Larry J. Dlugosz, William J. Hocter, Kevin S. Kaiser, James D. Knoke, Jack M. Heller, Nadia A. Hamid, Robert J. Reed, Kenneth S. Kendler, Gregory C. Gray

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Effects of Persian Gulf War (August 2, 1990-July 31, 1991) and Gulf War occupation on post-War hospitalization risk were evaluated through Cox proportional hazards modeling. Active-duty men (n = 1,775,236) and women (n = 209,760) in the Army, Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps had 30,539 initial postwar hospitalizations for mental disorders between June 1, 1991 and September 30, 1993. Principal diagnoses in the Defense Manpower Data Center hospitalization database were grouped into 10 categories of ICD-9-CM codes. Gulf War service was associated with significantly greater risk for acute reactions to stress and lower risk for personality disorders and adjustment reactions among men. Personnel who served in ground war support occupations (men and women) were at greater risk for postwar drug-related disorders. Men who served in ground war combat occupations were at higher risk for alcohol-related disorders. Longitudinal studies of health, hospitalization, and exposure beginning at recruitment, are needed to better understand how exposure to combat affects the mental health of military personnel. Copyright (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Inc.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1267-1278
Number of pages12
JournalJournal of Clinical Epidemiology
Volume52
Issue number12
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 1999
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Combat disorders
  • Hospitalization
  • Incidence studies
  • Medical records
  • Mental disorders
  • Persian Gulf syndrome

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Epidemiology

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