Ofir Levi1,2,3, Gadi Lubin1,4. 1. a Division of Mental Health , Medical Corps, Israel Defense Forces , Israel. 2. b Social Work Department , Ruppin Academic Center , Emek Hefer , Israel. 3. c Bob Shapell School of Social Work , Tel Aviv University , Tel Aviv , Israel. 4. d The Jerusalem Mental Health Center (Eitanim-Kfar Shaul) , Jerusalem , Israel.
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The goal of the study was to determine the long-term prevalence of combat-related treatment seeking and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in Israel's veterans deployed to the Second Lebanon War (2006) and "Operation Cast Lead" in the Gaza Strip (2009). METHODS: The prevalence of treatment seeking and DSM-IV-TR diagnoses among Israel Defense Force (IDF) veterans was assessed using seven and five year's surveillance and records. The whereabouts and combat exposure of veterans during the war was determined based on the IDF's Operations Directorate records. RESULTS: Overall prevalence of treatment seeking was 1.32% and 0.38% in the Second Lebanon War and "Operation Cast Lead", respectively. The prevalence of treatment-seeking veterans from the Second Lebanon War and in "Operation Cast Lead" was significantly higher in soldiers deployed to high combat-exposure zones (2.19% and 3.1%, respectively), relative to low combat-exposure zones (0.24% and 0.06%, respectively), and relative to soldiers deployed elsewhere (0.26% and 0.02%, respectively). PTSD prevalence was similar among treatment-seeking veterans deployed in high combat-exposure zones in both combats. CONCLUSIONS: There is a gap of anywhere between 3% and 11% between treatment seeking by IDF veterans following war deployment and the actual prevalence of PTSD in this soldier population.
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The goal of the study was to determine the long-term prevalence of combat-related treatment seeking and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in Israel's veterans deployed to the Second Lebanon War (2006) and "Operation Cast Lead" in the Gaza Strip (2009). METHODS: The prevalence of treatment seeking and DSM-IV-TR diagnoses among Israel Defense Force (IDF) veterans was assessed using seven and five year's surveillance and records. The whereabouts and combat exposure of veterans during the war was determined based on the IDF's Operations Directorate records. RESULTS: Overall prevalence of treatment seeking was 1.32% and 0.38% in the Second Lebanon War and "Operation Cast Lead", respectively. The prevalence of treatment-seeking veterans from the Second Lebanon War and in "Operation Cast Lead" was significantly higher in soldiers deployed to high combat-exposure zones (2.19% and 3.1%, respectively), relative to low combat-exposure zones (0.24% and 0.06%, respectively), and relative to soldiers deployed elsewhere (0.26% and 0.02%, respectively). PTSD prevalence was similar among treatment-seeking veterans deployed in high combat-exposure zones in both combats. CONCLUSIONS: There is a gap of anywhere between 3% and 11% between treatment seeking by IDF veterans following war deployment and the actual prevalence of PTSD in this soldier population.
Entities:
Keywords:
PTSD; level of exposure; prevalence; treatment seeking; veterans