Comparison of Mental Health Outcomes in Persons Entering U.S. Military Service Before and After September 11, 2001.

摘要

Background. After September 11, 2001, the United States entered into extended operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Individuals joining the military in the post-September 11 era committed to potential prolonged and repeated deployments. It has been hypothesized that those who entered military service in the pre-September 11 era might have expectations incongruent with their subsequent experiences, and this may increase their risk for mental disorders. Methods. A subset of Millennium Cohort members who joined the military during 1995-1999 were compared with a subset of Millennium Cohort members who joined the military in 2002 or later. Outcomes included new-onset posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, panic/anxiety disorders, and alcohol-related problems. Multivariable methods were adjusted for differences in demographic and military characteristics. Findings. Those who entered service in the pre-September 11 era had slightly lower odds of new-onset PTSD (odds ratio 0.74, 95% confidence interval 0.59-0.93) compared with the post-September 11 cohort. There were no statistically significant differences in rates of new-onset depression, panic/anxiety disorders, or alcohol-related problems between the groups. Interpretation. The cohort who entered military service in the pre-September 11 era did not experience higher rates of newonset mental disorders when compared with the cohort who entered service after September 11, 2001.