Potentially Modifiable Pre-, Peri-, and Postdeployment Characteristics Associated With Deployment-Related Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Among Ohio Army National Guard Soldiers

Goldmann, Emily; Calabrese, Joseph R.; Prescott, Marta R.; Tamburrino, Marijo; Liberzon, Israel; Slembarski, Renee; Shirley, Edwin; Fine, Thomas; Goto, Toyomi; Wilson, Kimberly; Ganocy, Stephen; Chan, Philip; Serrano, Mary Beth; Sizemore, James; Galea, Sandro

doi:10.1016/j.annepidem.2011.11.003

« Previous Next »Annals of Epidemiology
Volume 22, Issue 2 , Pages 71-78, February 2012

Potentially Modifiable Pre-, Peri-, and Postdeployment Characteristics Associated With Deployment-Related Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Among Ohio Army National Guard Soldiers

Emily Goldmann, PhD
- Columbia University, New York, NY
- University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
Joseph R. Calabrese, MD
- Department of Psychiatry, University Hospitals Case Medical Center, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH
Marta R. Prescott, PhD
- Columbia University, New York, NY
- University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
- Address correspondence to: Marta R. Prescott, PhD, 722 W. 168^th St. Rm 520, New York, NY 10032. Tel.: 212–342–1977; Fax: 212–342–5168.
Marijo Tamburrino, MD
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toledo College of Medicine, Toledo, OH
Israel Liberzon, MD, PhD
- University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
Renee Slembarski, MBA
- Department of Psychiatry, University Hospitals Case Medical Center, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH
Edwin Shirley, PhD
- Department of Psychiatry, University Hospitals Case Medical Center, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH
Thomas Fine, MA
- University of Toledo Health Science Center, Toledo, OH
Toyomi Goto, MA
- Department of Psychiatry, University Hospitals Case Medical Center, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH
Kimberly Wilson, MSW
- University of Toledo Health Science Center, Toledo, OH
Stephen Ganocy, PhD
- Columbia University, New York, NY
- University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
- Department of Psychiatry, University Hospitals Case Medical Center, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH
Philip Chan, MS
- Department of Psychiatry, University Hospitals Case Medical Center, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH
Mary Beth Serrano, MA
- Department of Psychiatry, University Hospitals Case Medical Center, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH
James Sizemore, MDiv
- Department of Psychiatry, University Hospitals Case Medical Center, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH
- Ohio Army National Guard, Columbus, OH
Sandro Galea, MD, DrPH
- University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI

Received 21 January 2011; accepted 15 November 2011.

Purpose

To evaluate potentially modifiable deployment characteristics—predeployment preparedness, unit support during deployment, and postdeployment support—that may be associated with deployment-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Methods

We recruited a sample of 2616 Ohio Army National Guard (OHARNG) soldiers and conducted structured interviews to assess traumatic event exposure and PTSD related to the soldiers’ most recent deployment, consistent with DSM-IV criteria. We assessed preparedness, unit support, and postdeployment support by using multimeasure scales adapted from the Deployment Risk and Resilience Survey.

Results

The prevalence of deployment-related PTSD was 9.6%. In adjusted logistic models, high levels of all three deployment characteristics (compared with low) were independently associated with lower odds of PTSD. When we evaluated the influence of combinations of deployment characteristics on the development of PTSD, we found that postdeployment support was an essential factor in the prevention of PTSD.

Conclusions

Results show that factors throughout the life course of deployment—in particular, postdeployment support—may influence the development of PTSD. These results suggest that the development of suitable postdeployment support opportunities may be centrally important in mitigating the psychological consequences of war.

Key Words: Military Personnel, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders, War

Selected Abbreviations and Acronyms: PTSD, posttraumatic stress disorder, OIF/OEF, Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation Enduring Freedom, OHARNG, Ohio Army National Guard, DRRI, Deployment Risk and Resilience Inventory, DSM-IV, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, OR, odds ratio, CI, confidence interval