PMID: 16532084Mar 15, 2006Paper

Post-traumatic stress disorder, survivor guilt and substance use--a study of hospitalised Nigerian army veterans

South African Medical Journal = Suid-Afrikaanse Tydskrif Vir Geneeskunde
G T Okulate, O B E Jones

Abstract

To investigate the prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and survivor guilt in a sample of hospitalized soldiers evacuated from the Liberian and Sierra-Leonean wars in which Nigerians were involved as peace keepers. The relationships between PTSD, survivor guilt and substance use were also investigated. A socio-demographic data questionnaire, the PTSD checklist and a validated World Health Organization substance use survey instrument were used to obtain data from the subjects. The study took place at the 68 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital, Lagos, Nigeria, which was the base hospital for all casualties from the Liberian and Sierra-Leonean operations. All hospitalised patients from the military operations during a 4-year period (1990-1994) who were physically capable of being assessed were included in the study. The prevalence rate for PTSD was found to be 22% and survivor guilt was found in 38% of the responders. PTSD was significantly associated with long duration of stay in the mission area, current alcohol use, lifetime use of an alcohol/gunpowder mixture, and lifetime cannabis use. Survivor guilt was significantly associated with avoidance of trauma-related stimuli but not duration of combat exposure. Although...Continue Reading

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