Case-control study: posttraumatic stress disorder and habits of war veterans

To correlate habits (abuse of tobacco, alcohol, psychoactive substances and drugs) of war veterans and the frequency of symptoms in persons with PTSD and those without it.

We have carried out a prospective research (case-control study) over the period between September of 2005 and June 2006. The sample consisted of two groups of examinees: 60 males, war veterans with PTSD and 60 males, war veterans without PTSD. The group of war veterans without PTSD was formed using matching criteria (same age, level of education). Both groups included married males. Research was performed using a questionnaire designed for this study.

A higher number of war veterans without PTSD were employed compared to war veterans with PTSD (chi2=45.753; df=4; p<0.050). A higher number of war veterans with PTSD used psychoactive substances during the war period compared to war veterans without PTSD (18.3% vs. 3.3%). We have observed that 85% of examinees with PTSD have used anxiolitic drugs in the period of research, compared to only 5% of those without PTSD (chi2=77.576; df=1; P<0.050). All examinees with PTSD had some form of sleep disorders comparing to 70% of those without PTSD (chi2=50.595; df=3; P<0.050). Analysis of alcohol abuse showed a statisticaly significant difference between the examined groups (chi2=9.654; df=2; P=0.008).

A higher number of war veterans without PTSD had employment in comparison to the group of war veterans with PTSD. A higher number of war veterans with PTSD had some form of sleeping disorder, used psychoactive substances and anxiolitic drugs during the war period, and had alcohol abuse in comparison to the group of war veterans without PTSD.