Affiliations: Defense & Veterans Brain Injury center, San Antonio Military Medical Center, TX, USA | [x] Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center, Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA | [y] Institute of Soldier Nanotechnology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
Correspondence:
[*]
Address for correspondence: Jan E. Kennedy, PhD., San Antonio Military Medical Center-South, 59 MDOS/SGO5N-DVBIC, 2200 Berquist Drive Suite 1, Lackland AFB, TX 78236-9908, USA. Tel.: +1 210 292 7230; E-mail: [email protected]
Abstract: Purpose:To examine the proportion and severity of stress-related symptoms in U.S. service members with mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBI) received during deployment to Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) or Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF). Stress-related symptoms reported by service members with mTBI from explosive munitions are compared to symptoms reported by those with mTBI received from other mechanisms (i.e. falls, motor vehicle accidents). Methods:Posttraumatic stress, as measured by scores on the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist (PCL-C), for a sample of 586 OIF/OEF service members with blast-related mTBI was compared to a sample of 138 OIF/OEF service members with non-blast mTBI selected from retrospective review of research records. Results:Re-experiencing symptoms such as flashbacks and nightmares were higher for the blast mTBI group than for the non-blast mTBI group. Symptoms on other PTSD clusters and total score did not significantly differ between groups. Equivalent proportions of the blast and non-blast groups endorsed severe PTSD symptoms, with total PCL-C scores greater than or equal to 50. Conclusions:Consistent with prior reports, high levels of posttraumatic stress symptoms occur in a substantial proportion of service members who experienced deployment-related blast and non-blast mTBI. Results suggest that the psychological rehabilitation of OIF/OEF service members with mTBI from explosive blast should include particular attention to addressing re-experiencing symptoms.
