Purpose: Estimate prevalence of lifetime, current year, and current month depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among US military reservists.
Methods: Structured interviews were performed with a nationally representative military reserve sample (n = 2,003). Sociodemographic characteristics, military experiences, lifetime stressors, and psychiatric conditions were assessed. Depression was measured with the PHQ-9, and PTSD (deployment and non-deployment related) was assessed with the PCL-C.
Results: Depression (21.63% lifetime, 14.31% current year, and 5.99% current month) was more common than either deployment-related PTSD (5.49% lifetime, 4.98% current year, and 3.62% current month) or non-deployment-related PTSD (5.40% lifetime, 3.91% current year, and 2.32% current month), and branch-related differences were found. Non-deployment-related trauma was associated with non-deployment-related PTSD and depression in a dose-response fashion; deployment-related trauma was associated with deployment-related PTSD and depression in a dose-response fashion.
Conclusions: The study reveals notable differences in PTSD and depression prevalence by service branch that may be attributable to a combination of factors including greater lifetime trauma exposures and differing operational military experiences. Our findings suggest that service branch and organizational differences are related to key protective and/or risk factors, which may prove useful in guiding prevention and treatment efforts among reservists.