POSTTRAUMATIC-STRESS-DISORDER IN PRISONERS OF WAR AND COMBAT VETERANSOF THE DIEPPE RAID - A 50-YEAR FOLLOW-UP

Objective: This paper presents the first 50-year study of the differen tial effects of incarceration and combat on the development and persis tence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in Canadian veterans an d prisoners of war (POWs) from the Dieppe Raid. Method: A large sample of Dieppe POWs and nonPOWs completed a questionnaire diagnosing PTSD and other psychological and health problems of the veterans in 1946 an d in 1992. Results: The POWs showed a higher incidence of PTSD and oth er psychological symptoms than veterans with the same combat exposure. The POWs' experiences of malnutrition, maltreatment and torture, and mental suffering showed strong links to PTSD. Conclusions: For many ve terans, PTSD has lasted 50 years. Failure to be eligible for psycholog ical disability pensions demonstrates that PTSD and other psychologica l disorders in these veterans have been greatly unrecognized by the Ca nadian Department of Veteran's Affairs.