Comparing PTSD Prevalence in Vietnam Veterans
Author Information
Author(s): William W. Thompson, Irving I. Gottesman, Christine Zalewski
Primary Institution: US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Hypothesis
What accounts for the differences in PTSD prevalence rates reported in two large studies of Vietnam veterans?
Conclusion
The study reconciled previously disparate PTSD prevalence rates by applying uniform diagnostic criteria across two major studies.
Supporting Evidence
- Using narrow criteria, PTSD prevalence was estimated at 2.5% for the VES and 2.9% for the NVVRS.
- Using broad criteria, PTSD prevalence was estimated at 12.2% for the VES and 15.8% for the NVVRS.
- The study highlighted the importance of using uniform criteria to compare PTSD prevalence across studies.
Takeaway
This study looked at how many Vietnam veterans have PTSD and found that different ways of measuring it can give very different results.
Methodology
The study compared PTSD prevalence rates using data from two large studies, applying uniform diagnostic procedures to estimate rates based on various criteria.
Potential Biases
Potential biases may arise from the different diagnostic instruments used in the studies.
Limitations
The study could not make sensitivity and specificity estimates due to the lack of a gold standard measure.
Participant Demographics
The study focused on male Vietnam veterans and included both theater veterans and era controls.
Statistical Information
Confidence Interval
95% CI ranges provided in the results
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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