Research suggests that trauma experienced at an earlier stage of life may be implicated in premature or accelerated aging in later stages. Premature aging, in this respect, evinces in various domains, particularly in health impediments and mortality. The current study prospectively assessed the long term impact of war and war captivity on mortality, medical assessments of morbidity and self-rated health among Israeli combat veterans and former prisoners of war (POWs). Participants were evaluated at four points in time over three decades. Results revealed that war captivity was implicated in premature aging in all domains. Ex-POWs exhibited mortality rates four times higher than comparable veterans who were not held captive. Ex POWs’ health outcomes were worse than those of controls when assessed both by medical professionals and via self-report measures. Differential posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) trajectories mediated the relationship between captivity and health. Theoretical and clinical implications will be discussed.
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