Addressing PTSD and suicide in US veterans

Résumé

Comments on an article by B. E. Wisco et al. (2015). The article by Wisco et al. discussed the prevalence and impact of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in a nationally representative sample of US veterans. After analyzing data from over 3,000 US veterans in 2011, the authors concluded that (1) the prevalence of lifetime and current PTSD was 8.0% and 4.8%, respectively; (2) PTSD was associated with an increased risk of mood, anxiety, and substance use disorders and a nearly 10-fold risk of suicidal ideation and suicide attempts; and (3) psychosocial factors, namely, community integration, resilience, and secure attachment, were associated with decreased odds of PTSD. The results of the study are timely, in light of recent US legislation geared toward addressing mental health care in veterans and the alarmingly high national veteran suicide rates. Wisco et al. suggests that prevention and treatment efforts designed to bolster protective psychosocial factors may help mitigate PTSD risk in this population. Interventions specified in the Clay Hunt Act have great potential with regard to providing optimal care to veterans with PTSD and other mental health disorders and reducing the alarming rate of 22 veteran suicides per day in the United States. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved) ÉTATS-UNIS MILITAIRE RETRAITE TROUBLE-STRESS-POST-TRAUMATIQUE ARGUMENT