Understanding Sequelae of Injury Mechanisms and Mild Traumatic Brain Injury
Incurred during the Conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan: Persistent Postconcussive
Symptoms and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

A cross-sectional study of military personnel following deployment to conflicts in Iraq or Afghanistan ascertained
histories of combat theater injury mechanisms and mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) and current prevalence of
posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and postconcussive symptoms. Associations among injuries, PTSD, and
postconcussive symptoms were explored. In February 2005, a postal survey was sent to Iraq/Afghanistan veterans
who had left combat theaters by September 2004 and lived in Maryland; Washington, DC; northern Virginia; and
eastern West Virginia. Immediate neurologic symptoms postinjury were used to identify mild TBI. Adjusted prevalence
ratios and 95% confidence intervals were computed by using Poisson regression. About 12% of 2,235
respondents reported a history consistent with mild TBI, and 11% screened positive for PTSD. Mild TBI history was
common among veterans injured by bullets/shrapnel, blasts, motor vehicle crashes, air/water transport, and falls.
Factors associated with PTSD included reporting multiple injury mechanisms (prevalence ratio ¼ 3.71 for three or
more mechanisms, 95% confidence interval: 2.23, 6.19) and combat mild TBI (prevalence ratio ¼ 2.37, 95%
confidence interval: 1.72, 3.28). The strongest factor associated with postconcussive symptoms was PTSD, even
after overlapping symptoms were removed from the PTSD score (prevalence ratio ¼ 3.79, 95% confidence interval:
2.57, 5.59).
Afghanistan; brain injuries; Iraq; post-concussion syndrome; stress disorders, post-traumatic; veterans; war;
wounds and injuries

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