PTSD AND COMBAT-RELATED INJURIES

PTSD and Combat-Related Injuries

PTSD and Combat-Related Injuries

Introduction

There is growing evidence that personal wound throughout deployment is affiliated with a higher occurrence of mental health issues post-deployment. Military staff is coming back from battle with different grades and kinds of wound than in preceding wars. This is partially due to more fast and complicated medical answer on the battlefield and to advanced protective gear such as Kevlar vests. These defend soldiers from mortal interior injuries but not from extremity trauma or concussive brain injuries. Recent investigations detailing the most widespread wounds have discovered that roughly one-half engaged the head or neck. The large most of wounds were due to blasts, and numerous involve more than one area of the body (polytrauma). Several investigations from the protecting against and Veterans mind wound Center (DVBIC) of fighters returning from Afghanistan or Iraq article the incident of traumatic brain injury (TBI) in numerous soldiers.

Discussion

A history of experiencing personal wound throughout deployment is associated with a higher occurrence of post traumatic tension disorder (PTSD) post-deployment. A recent survey study of soldiers following return from deployment reported that ~9% of military personnel who had not been injured while deployed screened positive for PTSD. The rate was almost doubled (~16%) in those reporting bodily injury during deployment. This rate is very alike to an previous study assessing the expanded risk for PTSD due to combat-related injury. Another post-deployment survey study reported an increased incidence of PTSD with number of injury mechanisms: ~14% for one, ~29% for two, and ~51% for three or more. These results are consistent with the incidence of PTSD symptoms following significant orthopedic trauma in civilians (Rauch SL, Shin LM, Phelps EA, 2006).

Although at one time it was accepted that the loss of consciousness and memory shortfalls that often result from TBI made it improbable that PTSD would develop, latest investigations have found that PTSD can develop even when the patient has no attentive recollection of the traumatic event. Studies in infantry staff indicate that higher rates of PTSD are affiliated with having skilled potentially brain-injuring conditions. In a group who reported experiencing a concussion while deployed (as indicated by altered mental status, n=260), ~27% screened positive for PTSD. The rate was ~44% in those who reported a loss of consciousness (n=124). In another survey study the rate of PTSD was ~7% in those without evidence of brain injury (n=1,960), ~34% with level 1 mild TBI (altered mental status, n=163), and ~47% with level 2 mild TBI (loss of consciousness, amnesia, or head injury, n=112).2 Similarly, an inpatient study of service members who had experienced both a burn and blast injury (n=76) found that 32% were positive for PTSD. The rate of PTSD was 22% in the group without and 45% in the group with mild TBI. A retrospective study in battle veterans found that head wound was affiliated with expanded frequency of PTSD, and combat-related head injury was associated with expanded severity of ...