Quality-adjusted health status in veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder

This study evaluated the quality-adjusted health status in veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In a cross-sectional study veterans diagnosed with PTSD completed a quality-adjusted health status measure (Quality of Well-Being Self-Administered [QWB-SA] scale), PTSD symptom severity measures (Mississippi Scale for Combat-Related PTSD and Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale), and a depression severity measure (Beck Depression Inventory). Significant inverse relationships were identified between the QWB-SA and PTSD severity measures as well as between the QWB-SA and depression severity measures in this sample. Demonstration of these relationships suggests that greater symptom severity is associated with lower quality-adjusted health status in veterans with PTSD. More importantly, the QWB-SA was designed for use in cost-effectiveness analyses and may be useful in assessing the relative value of PTSD interventions compared with other mental and physical health interventions.