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(CNN) – New research reveals that among recently retired veterans and combatants, post-traumatic stress rates are highest among current members and former members of the British Army.
The research also revealed an increase in the number of military and former military personnel with symptoms of this disorder, known as PTSD, between 2004 and 2014.
Among veterans whose last mission included a role in combat in the wars of Iraq or Afghanistan, 17.1% reported symptoms of probable PTSD when questionnaires were devoted to this. state.
People deployed in support positions, such as medical or logistical, in the same locations reported a rate of 6% PTSD, a decrease of more than 11 percentage points, according to the study published Monday in the British Journal of Psychiatry. Veterans who had not been deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan recorded rates of 5%.
The new study is "the closest element to a true picture" of mental health service members, said Simon Wessely, professor of psychological medicine at King's College London and author of the study.
Sharon Stevelink, lecturer in epidemiology at King's College, said, "For the first time, we found that the risk of post-traumatic stress among veterans deployed in conflict was significantly higher than that incurred by those who are still on duty. "
The overall rate of probable PTSD among current and former military personnel has increased over a 10-year period, from 4% in 2004-06 to 6% in 2014-16.
"If you left the service and were in combat, the rates [of developing PTSD] went up to 1 in 6 or 1 in 5, which is higher than it was before, "Wessely said.
PTSD is an anxiety disorder that occurs after a traumatic experience and can cause insomnia, irritability and traumatic nightmares. Four percent of the British civilian population and about five percent of the US population are struggling with this problem.
This study is the latest in a major study of the King's Military Health Research Center, which brought together more than 8,000 participants, 62% of whom had been deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan. The latest figures relate to surveys conducted from 2014 to 2016.
The study points out that veterans were two and a half times more likely to suffer from PTSD when they were deployed in a combat role than combat support, Stevelink said.
However, "if the increase among veterans is a cause for concern, not all veterans have been deployed and, in general, only about one in three would have been assigned to a combat role," he said. she noted.
Rates of common mental disorders such as depression and anxiety are also significantly higher among veterans, one-third of them being affected, Stevelink added. These were high in all study groups, with 21.9% of participants affected.
Transition of the ground
The transition from military service, with its strong social ties, to civilian life is a stressful experience that can lead to the onset of mental health issues, Wessely said.
"As people leave, their vulnerability increases because they lose the powerful support they have received in the armed forces," he said.
To ease the transition, British veterans benefit from benefits such as free travel, tax breaks, tuition and child care allowances, and pension plans. . For veterans returning to the United States, benefits include allowances, education programs, and health care options.
The British and Americans are also deployed for different periods. British troops spent an average of six months on the ground, but a longer deployment for US troops, added Wessely.
According to research, US veterans report a higher rate of PTSD: 24.7% of members of the military meet the definition eight years after their involvement in Iraq.
"A common history"
Glyn Lewis, professor of psychiatry at University College London and consultant psychiatrist, pointed out that symptoms of PTSD often manifest themselves later in life. "It's a common story," said Lewis, who was not involved in the new study.
"You will find that people who have had a bad life experience will develop the classic [PTSD] symptoms of years after the experiment, "he said, adding that this could often be triggered by similar factors.
Another possible factor is the high number: veterans can only seek help outside the army for fear of stigma, according to a study.
Mental health awareness and reducing the stigma attached to these issues also play a role, says Wessely. From 2014 to 2016, 31% of military members had access to mental health services and only 7% chose not to seek help, according to the new study.
According to the study, the most common mental health disorders among British service members continue to be associated with alcohol abuse.
However, alcohol abuse has been steadily declining since the beginning of 15 years of research, most recently recording a 6% decline between 2014 and 2016 compared to 2007 and 2009.
This decline can be explained by the drop in the rate of alcohol consumption in the general population and by the average age of 40-year-old participants, said Lewis.
"There is this question about what we should do to try to help," he said. "Perhaps the particular needs and experiences of deployed individuals deserve separate health care arrangements, and we still do not know what to do to prevent this from happening."
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