PTSD Among Israeli Former Prisoners of war and Soldiers With Combat Stress Reaction: a Longitudinal Study

The aim of this study was to assess the long-term impact of war captivity & combat stress reaction on rates of posttraumatic stress disorder in Israeli veterans of the 1973 Yom Kippur war. 164 former prisoners of war, 112 who had had combat stress reaction, & 184 combat veteran comparison subjects were studied. 37% of the veterans who had had combat stress reactions, 23% of the former prisoners of war, & 14% of the comparison subjects had had diagnosable posttraumatic stress disorder at some point in the past. Results showed different recovery rates over time. Findings indicate a small but significant proportion of the prisoners of war & veterans with combat stress reaction were still suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder almost two decades after the war. (25 refs.)