Veterans, PTSD Severity, and Health Conditions Over Time

PTSD has been linked to the development of numerous health conditions; this study’s aim is to determine if PTSD predicts the diagnosis of type II diabetes, overweight/obesity, hypertension, musculoskeletal disorders, neurological disorders, and chronic pain. Participants were 416 veterans presenting for PTSD assessment/treatment that had served in the most recent conflicts (Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation New Dawn, and Dessert Storm) with a mean age of 35.5 (SD = 10.9). Participants completed a measure of PTSD symptomatology. Electronic medical records were used to obtain diagnosis of health conditions. Cox-Regression analyses were used to evaluate PTSD as a predictor of time to diagnosis for each of the health condition, after controlling for sex, education, and race/ethnicity. Asian/Pacific islanders had greater odds of a type 2 diabetes diagnosis when compared to White/Caucasian participants (HR = 5.99, 95% CI [.1.15-31.17]). Identifying as Asian/Pacific islander decreased the odds of participants being diagnosed with a neurological condition compared to White/Caucasian participants (HR =.25, 95% CI [.35-8.6]). Participants who identified as Hispanic/Latino had lower odds of being diagnosed with overweight/obesity, neurological disorders, and musculoskeletal disorders compared to White/Caucasian participants (HR = .37, 95% CI [.19-.70], HR = .55, 95% CI [.35-8.6], HR = .48 95% CI [.27-.87]). The odds of being diagnosed with hypertension were higher for participants identifying as Hispanic/Latino than Caucasian/White participants (HR = 2.90, 95% CI [1.29-6.58]). Having a two-year degree compared to a high school degree decreased the odds of participants having overweight/obesity (HR = .31, 95% CI [.12-.76]). Having some college, a two-year degree, or a four-year degree increased the odds of developing a neurological disorder (HR = 1.67, 95% CI [1.02-2.75], HR = 2.08, 95% CI [1.03-4.20], HR = 2.35, 95% CI [3.10-40.20]). Every one-year increase in age increased the odds of participants being diagnosed with chronic pain (HR =1.05, 95% CI [1.01-1.10]). PTSD was a significant predictor of the development of hypertension in young veterans (HR = 1.42, 95% CI [1.00-2.01],). Given the findings, mental health and medical professionals are poised to deliver more timely interventions to prevent, treat, and screen for hypertension, even in young veterans