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Table 1 Frequencies and Unadjusted Odds Ratios of Characteristics Measured in 2004–2006 by Persistent PTSD at the First Follow-Up for Millennium Cohort Participants (N = 2409)

From: Factors associated with persistent posttraumatic stress disorder among U.S. military service members and veterans

Variables

Persistent PTSD

 

No (N = 1286)

Yes (N = 1123)

OR

95% CI

Demographics

Number

Percent

Number

Percent

  

Sex

 Male

823

64.0

742

66.1

1.0

 

 Female

463

36.2

381

33.9

0.91

0.77–1.08

Birth year*

 Prior to 1960

145

11.3

172

15.3

1.60

1.23–2.10

 1960–1969

326

25.4

286

25.5

1.19

0.95–1.48

 1970–1979

419

32.6

372

33.1

1.20

0.98–1.47

 1980 or later

396

30.8

293

26.1

1.0

 

Education*

 Some college or less

1019

79.2

936

83.3

1.0

 

 Bachelor’s degree or higher

267

20.8

187

16.7

0.76

0.62–0.94

Race/ethnicity

 Non-Hispanic White

928

72.2

781

69.5

1.0

 

 Non-Hispanic Black

132

10.3

146

13.0

1.31

1.02–1.69

 Other

226

17.6

196

17.5

1.03

0.83–1.28

Marital status*

 Never married

532

41.4

403

35.9

1.0

 

 Married

615

47.8

587

52.3

1.26

1.06–1.50

 Other

139

10.8

133

11.8

1.26

0.96–1.66

Military Characteristics

Service branch*

 Army

753

58.6

722

64.3

1.44

1.14–1.81

 Navy/Coast Guard

216

16.9

162

14.4

1.12

0.84–1.51

 Marine Corps

95

7.4

91

8.1

1.44

1.01–2.05

 Air Force

222

17.3

148

13.2

1.0

 

Service component

 Active duty

656

51.0

6594

52.9

1.08

0.92–1.27

 Reserve/National Guard

630

49.0

529

47.1

1.0

 

Pay grade*

 E1–E4

607

46.2

556

49.5

1.66

1.27–2.17

 E5–E9

496

38.6

466

41.5

1.70

1.29–2.24

 Officer

183

14.2

101

9.0

1.0

 

Military separation

 No

1038

80.7

877

78.1

1.0

 

 Yes

248

19.3

246

21.9

1.17

0.96–1.43

Military occupation

 Combat

231

18.0

217

19.3

0.96

0.73–1.35

 Health care

133

10.3

126

11.2

1.0

 

 Other

922

71.7

780

69.5

0.89

0.69–1.16

Deployment experiencea,*

 Nondeployed

675

52.5

555

61.4

1.0

 

 Deployed without combat

91

7.1

28

5.2

0.34

0.22–0.54

 Deployed, low combat

162

12.6

73

6.5

0.55

0.41–0.74

 Deployed, moderate combat

320

24.9

369

32.9

1.41

1.17–1.70

 Deployed, high combat

38

2.9

98

8.7

3.13

2.12–4.63

Medical Characteristics

PTSD severity at baseline (mean, SD per 10-point change in score)b,*

50.8

9.7

57.6

11.3

1.84

1.70–2.01

Depressionc,*

 No

538

41.8

277

24.7

1.0

 

 Yes

748

58.2

846

75.3

2.20

1.84–2.62

Manic*

 No

1238

96.3

1025

91.3

1.0

 

 Yes

48

3.7

98

8.7

2.47

1.73–3.52

Schizophrenia*

 No

1271

98.8

1090

97.1

1.0

 

 Yes

15

1.2

33

2.9

2.56

1.39–4.75

Psychotropic medicationd,*

 No

1024

79.6

767

68.3

1.0

 

 Yes

262

20.4

356

31.7

1.81

1.51–2.18

BMI categoriese,*

 Under/normal weight

457

35.5

365

32.5

1.0

 

 Overweight

582

45.3

486

43.3

1.04

0.87–1.26

 Obese

247

19.2

272

24.2

1.38

1.11–1.72

Physical component score*

 Low

148

11.5

229

20.4

1.0

 

 Mid

907

70.5

760

67.7

0.54

0.43–0.68

 High

231

18.0

134

11.9

0.37

0.28–0.50

Multiple somatic symptoms score*

  < 15

1079

83.9

778

69.3

1.0

 

  ≥ 15

207

16.1

345

30.7

2.31

1.90–2.81

Behavioral Characteristics

Sleep duration*

  < 4 h/day

230

17.9

310

27.6

1.41

1.11–1.78

 4–6 h/day

358

27.8

368

23.9

1.15

0.82–1.61

  > 6 h/day

698

54.3

545

48.5

1.0

 

Smoking*

 Past smoker/nonsmoker

934

72.6

778

69.2

1.0

 

 Current smoker

352

27.4

3345

30.7

1.17

0.98–1.40

Alcohol-related problems

 No

960

74.6

826

73.5

1.0

 

 Yes

326

25.4

297

26.5

1.06

0.88–1.27

Stressful Experiences

Divorced*

 No

778

60.5

600

53.4

1.0

 

 Yes

508

39.5

523

46.6

1.33

1.14–1.57

Financial problems*

 No

923

71.8

765

68.1

1.0

 

 Yes

363

28.2

358

31.9

1.19

1.00–1.42

Sexual assault*

 None

893

69.4

722

64.3

1.0

 

 Harassment

158

12.3

149

13.3

1.17

0.91–1.49

 Assault

235

18.3

252

22.4

1.33

1.08–1.62

Physical assault*

 No

1032

80.3

791

70.4

1.0

 

 Yes

254

19.7

332

29.6

1.70

1.41–2.06

Ill/Death of a loved one*

 No

326

25.3

229

20.4

1.0

 

 Yes

960

74.7

894

79.6

1.33

1.09–1.61

Disabling illness/injury*

 No

989

76.9

725

64.6

1.0

 

 Yes

297

23.1

398

35.4

1.82

1.53–2.19

  1. BMI =body mass index, CI =confidence interval, OR =odds ratio, PHQ =Patient Health Questionnaire, PTSD =posttraumatic stress disorder
  2. aDeployments include those which occurred prior to the 2007 survey date and were in support of operations in Iraq and Afghanistan
  3. bPTSD severity at baseline was included as a continuous variable to adjust for varying PTSD scores. Results were modeled using a 10 point change in the severity score based on the standard deviation and what would be considered a clinically relevant change the PTSD score
  4. cDepression includes diagnosis by a medical professional or screening positive on the PHQ-9
  5. dEndorsed “yes” to survey question, “Are you currently taking any medicine for anxiety, depression, or stress?”
  6. eBMI categories: under/normal weight (≤24.9 kg/m2), overweight (25.0–29.9 kg/m2), and obese (≥30 kg/m2)
  7. *Variable significant at p < 0.20 using chi-square testing
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BMC Psychiatry

ISSN: 1471-244X

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