By the Numbers: 17 June 2019
20.3%
The percentage of "a nationally representative sample of U.S. veterans" with "probable" alcohol use disorder (AUD) who met criteria for "probable PTSD," according to an article in the journal Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, The burden of co-occurring alcohol use disorder and PTSD in U.S. Military veterans: Comorbidities, functioning, and suicidality. Among those with "probable PTSD," the researchers found that "16.8% met criteria for probable AUD."
Compared to Veterans with AUD only, veterans with AUD/PTSD were more likely to screen positive for major depression (36.8% vs. 2.3%), generalized anxiety disorder (43.5% vs. 2.9%), suicidal ideation (39.1% vs. 7.0%); to have attempted suicide (46.0% vs. 4.1%); and to be receiving mental health treatment (44.8% vs. 7.5%). They also scored lower on cognitive (d = 0.50), mental (d = 0.51) and physical (d = 0.21) functioning, and quality of life (Cohen d = 0.46). Veterans with comorbid AUD/PTSD were more than three times as likely as Veterans with PTSD only to have attempted suicide in their lifetimes (odds ratio = 3.1, 95% confidence interval = 1.8–5.3; 46.0% vs. 22.8%); they did not differ on other measures.
20.3%
The percentage of "a nationally representative sample of U.S. veterans" with "probable" alcohol use disorder (AUD) who met criteria for "probable PTSD," according to an article in the journal Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, The burden of co-occurring alcohol use disorder and PTSD in U.S. Military veterans: Comorbidities, functioning, and suicidality. Among those with "probable PTSD," the researchers found that "16.8% met criteria for probable AUD."
Compared to Veterans with AUD only, veterans with AUD/PTSD were more likely to screen positive for major depression (36.8% vs. 2.3%), generalized anxiety disorder (43.5% vs. 2.9%), suicidal ideation (39.1% vs. 7.0%); to have attempted suicide (46.0% vs. 4.1%); and to be receiving mental health treatment (44.8% vs. 7.5%). They also scored lower on cognitive (d = 0.50), mental (d = 0.51) and physical (d = 0.21) functioning, and quality of life (Cohen d = 0.46). Veterans with comorbid AUD/PTSD were more than three times as likely as Veterans with PTSD only to have attempted suicide in their lifetimes (odds ratio = 3.1, 95% confidence interval = 1.8–5.3; 46.0% vs. 22.8%); they did not differ on other measures.