Abstract

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and the Risk of Traumatic Deaths Among Vietnam Veterans

Bullman T A~~Kang H K

Year: 1994 Source: The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, v.182, no.11, (November 1994), p.604-610 SIEC No: 19950107

The mortality risk of 4247 Vietnam veterans from the Agent Orange Registry with a diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder was compared to that of 12010 Vietnam veterans without PTSD. PTSD veterans were more likely to die from suicide & accidental poisoning. The standardized mortality ratio for suicides was 6.74 among PTSD veterans & 1.67 among non-PTSD veterans. Among Vietnam veterans on the Agent Orange Registry, PTSD is associated with a significant risk for suicide & accidental poisoning.