Posttraumatic stress disorder among Hispanic Vietnam veterans

Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine posttraumatic stress di sorder (PTSD) among Hispanics who served in the Vietnam War. Method: The au thors conducted secondary data analyses of the National Vietnam Veterans Re adjustment Study, a national epidemiologic study completed in 1988 of a rep resentative sample of veterans who served during the Vietnam era (N=1,195). Results: After adjustment for premilitary and military experiences, the au thors found that Hispanic, particularly Puerto Rican, Vietnam veterans had significantly more severe PTSD symptoms and a higher probability of experie ncing PTSD than nonminority veterans. However, they had no greater risk for other mental disorders, and their greater risk for PTSD was not explained by acculturation. Despite their more severe symptoms, Hispanic veterans, es pecially Puerto Rican veterans, showed no greater functional impairment tha n non-Hispanic white veterans. Conclusions: Hispanic Vietnam veterans, espe cially Puerto Rican Vietnam veterans, have a higher risk for PTSD and exper ience more severe PTSD symptoms than non-Hispanic white Vietnam veterans, a nd these differences are not explained by exposure to stressors or accultur ation, This high level of symptoms was not accompanied by substantial reduc tion in functioning, suggesting that the observed differences in symptom re porting may reflect features of expressive style rather than different leve ls of illness.