Demographic factors, characteristics of military service, PTSD, and depression were examined as predictors of alcohol misuse in Iraq and Afghanistan War Veterans (N = 287) presenting for post-deployment Veteran Affairs health care.
Results indicated that alcohol misuse was more common among younger male Veterans who served in the Army or Marine Corps. Accounting for demographic factors and characteristics of service, Veterans who screened positive for PTSDor depression were two times more likely to report alcohol misuse relative to Veterans who did not screen positive for these disorders.
Authors: Matthew Jakupcak, Matthew T. Tull, Michael J. McDermott, Debra Kaysen, Stephen Hunt and Tracy Simpson
Doi: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2010.03.023
Addictive Behaviors: Volume 35, Issue 9, September 2010, Pages 840-843