New onset and persistent symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder self reported after deployment and combat exposures: prospective population based US military cohort study

To describe new onset and persistence of self reported post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms in a large population based military cohort, many of whom were deployed in support of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Prospective cohort analysis. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Survey enrolment data from the millennium cohort (July 2001 to June 2003) obtained before the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Follow-up (June 2004 to February 2006) data on health outcomes collected from 50 184 participants. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Self reported post-traumatic stress disorder as measured by the posttraumatic stress disorder checklist-civilian version using Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth edition criteria.