Posttraumatic stress disorder among Turkish veterans of the Southeast

Abstract

Objective: Traumatic events induced deliberately by humans such as terrorism causes posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other psychiatric disorders. Data analysis of the present study consists of two phases. At first phase, the prevalence of PTSD and depression comorbid to PTSD of veterans who were physically injured while doing their military service at South East Region was investigated. At the second phase, the role of risk factors of negative changes at the relationship with their environment and the need of psychological help on developing PTSD and depression comorbid to PTSD was examined. Methods: The study conducted with 247 southeast veterans. Age range of veterans is 24-49 (36.55±5.29). The years after the injury ranged from 2 to 28 years (15.35±5.3). All participants were evaluated with Demographic Information Questionnaire and Traumatic Stress Symptom Checklist (TSSC). Findings: The prevalence of PTSD was 29.6% (n=73), depression comorbid to PTSD 16.6% (n=41). There was a significant difference on PTSD and depression comorbid to PTSD among veterans who reported negative changes in the relationship with their environment and veterans who don’t reported negative changes in the relationship with their environment. Similarly, there was a significant difference on PTSD and depression comorbid to PTSD between veterans who need of psychological help and veterans who don’t need psychological help. However, there was no significant interaction effect among veterans who reported negative changes in the relationship with their environment and need of psychological help. Discussion: Southeast veterans are under the risk of direct death treat such as taking a part in battle or facing with mine explosion. Therefore, psychological and psychiatric services should be constituted to those who are physically injured and veterans who done military service at that region but not injured. Although it has been a long time, PTSD and depression comorbid to PTSD was found among southeast veterans who were exposed to frequent life-threatening traumatic experiences such as being in the middle of battle or stepping on mine. Since it is observed that both having a negative relationships with their surroundings and the need of psychological help increase the probability of PTSD and depression comorbid to PTSD, institutions which will provide psychological and psychiatric services to veterans deployed in the area should established. Key words: