Poor physical or mental health prior to combat exposure may predispose military personnel to an increased risk for new-onset posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after deployment, new research suggests ...

The presence of insomnia following trauma has been linked to depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among women service members, according to study results presented at the 2023 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Sleep Research Society, held from June 3 to 7 in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Returning servicemembers are among the some 40 million Americans who suffer from chronic long term sleep disorders, and, for reasons ranging from disrupted sleep during deployment

If you’re among the more than 200,000 service members and veterans participating in the long-term health study, researchers are calling on you to fill out a follow-up survey, as they track health risks of deployment, military occupations and general military service.

A study that will be published next month found that the escalating use of stimulants by the military in active duty soldiers, including those serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, was strongly correlated with an increase in the rates of PTSD, even when controlling for other factors, like the rate of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. The study examined the use of prescription stimulants, like Ritalin and Adderall, and the rates of PTSD in nearly 26,000 military service members between 2001 and 2008, and found that the incidence of PTSD increased along with the prescriptions.

American service members whose anger causes them significant distress and decreased function (problematic anger) during their transition to civilian life may have a higher risk of mental health conditions such as depression and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a study in JAMA Network Open has found. The results also suggest that service members who have problematic anger during the transition are more likely to have difficulty in their relationships and experience financial instability.

The Millennium Cohort Study, which was launched in 2001 to help address health outcomes related to Service members' deployments, will soon be increasing its enrollment to more than 200,000 participants. The next survey cycle, which begins this year, will add 50,000 new Cohort members plus 10,000 spouses of Service members to the study.

Military service members with symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are more likely to develop diabetes than their counterparts without PTSD symptoms, results of a new study hint. While previous research has suggested that depression increases the risk of diabetes, the new study of more than 44,000 active duty service members suggests another stronger association.

A new study by the Department of Veterans Affairs found there is no difference in the chances of developing post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, between males and females who have similar experiences, combat included.As a result of carefully looking at veterans' medical histories and life experiences, researchers said the number of PTSD cases among veterans caused specifically by service in Iraq and Afghanistan may be lower than thought.

"Women who deploy and report combat-associated exposures after childbirth are significantly more likely to screen positive for maternal depression than are women who did not deploy after childbirth," concluded the study, titled "Is Military Deployment a Risk Factor for Maternal Depression?" and appearing in the Journal of Women's Health.