WELLNESS

Research Shows The Scope Of

Post-Traumatic Stress Among
Veterans In New Zealand
Over 1,800 participants were surveyed by a group of researchers at the
University of Otago, all of which were either active-duty soldiers or
veterans.
22 Mins Ago by News Staff 1 min read

A new survey unveils the extent of post-traumatic stress (PTS) and post-
traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among military personnel in New Zealand.

Over 1,800 participants were surveyed by a group of researchers at the

University of Otago, all of which were either active-duty soldiers or veterans.

In their findings, it was revealed that one in three exhibited symptoms of post-
traumatic stress while one in 10 met the criteria for a PTSD diagnosis. Of the
participants with symptoms of post-traumatic stress, the majority were male, of
older age, and previously experienced trauma.
“These results suggest that the prevalence of clinically significant PTS is higher
among military personnel compared with the general population of New
Zealand, where rates are estimated to be 3 percent,” according to researchers.

In soldiers with a greater length of service, researchers found fewer indications

of post-traumatic stress. Higher sleep quality and resilience were also correlated
with increased time in the armed forces.

Moreover, given these findings, it is indicated that monitoring quality of sleep

could aid in reducing post-traumatic stress symptoms among those at risk.

“There is preliminary evidence to indicate that early intervention among

military personnel experiencing sleep disturbance may help to reduce PTS
symptoms,” the researchers stated.

“Resilience, or a lack of psychological inflexibility, may be a route to

improving things; talking therapies, including acceptance and commitment
therapy may work, although we need to know more.”