engleski

Combat‐Related PTSD as Predictor of Cancer Development

Long‐term exposure to traumatic events such as participation in war greatly leads to the development of mental and physical illnesses. The aim of this study was to determine whether psychological disorders such as combat related PTSD predispose the person to develop oncological diseases. 350 male Croatian war veterans were included in this study, who took part in the war for more than three years. The average age of participants was 48 years. Socio‐demographics data questionnaire, Beck's Depression Inventory (BDI‐ II), Loneliness scale inventory (LSI‐A), and Trauma Symptom Inventory (TSI‐A) were used for this purpose. 69% of respondents had a combat related PTSD, but more than 90% of respondents had mental disorder such as major depressive disorder. Results indicated that subjects with PTSD had a greater degree of depression and showed greater loneliness than participants without PTSD. The study showed that subjects with PTSD had significantly more oncological disease (57%), primarily lung cancer and colon cancer compared to non‐ PTSP subjects (9%). Research findings have shown that exposure to highly traumatic events and having combat related PTSD greatly predispose person to develop malignant disease, which makes the population of war veterans extremely vulnerable. Further health preventing actions must be tailor made for war veteran population.

PTSD ; cancer ; trauma

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