@article{ref1,
title="The burden of co-occurring alcohol use disorder and PTSD in U.S. Military veterans: comorbidities, functioning, and suicidality",
journal="Psychology of addictive behaviors",
year="2018",
author="Norman, Sonya B. and Haller, Moira and Hamblen, Jessica L. and Southwick, Steven M. and Pietrzak, Robert H.",
volume="32",
number="2",
pages="224-229",
abstract="Alcohol use disorder (AUD) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are among the most prevalent disorders in U.S. military veterans and often co-occur. To date, most studies have focused on treatment-seeking samples, although many veterans with AUD/PTSD do not seek treatment. We evaluated the prevalence of psychiatric comorbidities, functioning, and quality of life in a nationally representative sample of U.S. veterans (using data from the National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study) with AUD alone, PTSD alone, and comorbid AUD/PTSD to understand the incremental burden of having both disorders relative to either one. Among those with probable AUD, 20.3% met criteria for probable PTSD. Among those, with probable PTSD, 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. <br><br>RESULTS underscore the burden of co-occurring AUD and PTSD in U.S. veterans, and the importance of engaging these veterans in treatment. (PsycINFO Database Record<br><br>(c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0893-164X",
doi="10.1037/adb0000348",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/adb0000348"
}