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Circumstances of service and gender differences in war-related PTSD: Findings from the National Vietnam Veteran Readjustment Study

Corresponding Author

J. Blake Turner

[email protected]

Department of Psychiatry, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University and New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY

New York State Psychiatric Institute, 1051 Riverside Drive, Box 78, New York, NY 10032Search for more papers by this author

Nicholas A. Turse,

Nicholas A. Turse

Department of Sociomedical Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY

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Bruce P. Dohrenwend,

Bruce P. Dohrenwend

Department of Psychiatry, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York State Psychiatric Institute, and Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY

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J. Blake Turner,

Corresponding Author

J. Blake Turner

[email protected]

Department of Psychiatry, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University and New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY

New York State Psychiatric Institute, 1051 Riverside Drive, Box 78, New York, NY 10032Search for more papers by this author

Nicholas A. Turse,

Nicholas A. Turse

Department of Sociomedical Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY

Search for more papers by this author

Bruce P. Dohrenwend,

Bruce P. Dohrenwend

Search for more papers by this author

First published: 22 August 2007

https://doi.org/10.1002/jts.20245

Citations: 17

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Abstract

Data from the National Vietnam Veteran Readjustment Study (NVVRS) revealed a prevalence of current posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in female Vietnam Theater veterans half the size of the prevalence in their male counterparts. This stands in contrast to the elevated prevalence of PTSD in women obtained in general population surveys. This study undertakes further analyses of gender differences in the NVVRS and how these differences might be specified by the amount and type of exposure to war-zone stress. The findings indicate that male elevations in PTSD are limited to men who served under circumstances of high probable severity of war-zone stress exposure. When prewar demographic differences are controlled, male veterans in low-exposure circumstances display a level of PTSD prevalence substantially lower than female veterans.

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Volume20, Issue4

August 2007

Pages 643-649

Circumstances of service and gender differences in war-related PTSD: Findings from the National Vietnam Veteran Readjustment Study

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Circumstances of service and gender differences in war-related PTSD: Findings from the National Vietnam Veteran Readjustment Study

Abstract

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