PTSD has been linked to the development of numerous health conditions; this study’s aim is to determine if PTSD predicts the diagnosis of type II diabetes, overweight/obesity, hypertension, musculoskeletal disorders, neurological disorders, and chronic pain. Participants were 416 veterans presenting for PTSD assessment/treatment that had served in the most recent conflicts (Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation New Dawn, and Dessert Storm) with a mean age of 35.5 (SD = 10.9). Participants completed a measure of PTSD symptomatology. Electronic medical records were used to obtain diagnosis of health conditions. Cox-Regression analyses were used to evaluate PTSD as a predictor of time to diagnosis for each of the health condition, after controlling for sex, education, and race/ethnicity. Asian/Pacific islanders had greater odds of a type 2 diabetes diagnosis when compared to White/Caucasian participants (HR = 5.99, 95% CI [.1.15-31.17]). Identifying as Asian/Pacific islander decreased the odds of participants being diagnosed with a neurological condition compared to White/Caucasian participants (HR =.25, 95% CI [.35-8.6]). Participants who identified as Hispanic/Latino had lower odds of being diagnosed with overweight/obesity, neurological disorders, and musculoskeletal disorders compared to White/Caucasian participants (HR = .37, 95% CI [.19-.70], HR = .55, 95% CI [.35-8.6], HR = .48 95% CI [.27-.87]). The odds of being diagnosed with hypertension were higher for participants identifying as Hispanic/Latino than Caucasian/White participants (HR = 2.90, 95% CI [1.29-6.58]). Having a two-year degree compared to a high school degree decreased the odds of participants having overweight/obesity (HR = .31, 95% CI [.12-.76]). Having some college, a two-year degree, or a four-year degree increased the odds of developing a neurological disorder (HR = 1.67, 95% CI [1.02-2.75], HR = 2.08, 95% CI [1.03-4.20], HR = 2.35, 95% CI [3.10-40.20]). Every one-year increase in age increased the odds of participants being diagnosed with chronic pain (HR =1.05, 95% CI [1.01-1.10]). PTSD was a significant predictor of the development of hypertension in young veterans (HR = 1.42, 95% CI [1.00-2.01],). Given the findings, mental health and medical professionals are poised to deliver more timely interventions to prevent, treat, and screen for hypertension, even in young veterans.
","abstract_html":"<p>PTSD has been linked to the development of numerous health conditions; this study’s aim is to determine if PTSD predicts the diagnosis of type II diabetes, overweight/obesity, hypertension, musculoskeletal disorders, neurological disorders, and chronic pain. Participants were 416 veterans presenting for PTSD assessment/treatment that had served in the most recent conflicts (Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation New Dawn, and Dessert Storm) with a mean age of 35.5 (SD = 10.9). Participants completed a measure of PTSD symptomatology. Electronic medical records were used to obtain diagnosis of health conditions. Cox-Regression analyses were used to evaluate PTSD as a predictor of time to diagnosis for each of the health condition, after controlling for sex, education, and race/ethnicity. Asian/Pacific islanders had greater odds of a type 2 diabetes diagnosis when compared to White/Caucasian participants (HR = 5.99, 95% CI [.1.15-31.17]). Identifying as Asian/Pacific islander decreased the odds of participants being diagnosed with a neurological condition compared to White/Caucasian participants (HR =.25, 95% CI [.35-8.6]). Participants who identified as Hispanic/Latino had lower odds of being diagnosed with overweight/obesity, neurological disorders, and musculoskeletal disorders compared to White/Caucasian participants (HR = .37, 95% CI [.19-.70], HR = .55, 95% CI [.35-8.6], HR = .48 95% CI [.27-.87]). The odds of being diagnosed with hypertension were higher for participants identifying as Hispanic/Latino than Caucasian/White participants (HR = 2.90, 95% CI [1.29-6.58]). Having a two-year degree compared to a high school degree decreased the odds of participants having overweight/obesity (HR = .31, 95% CI [.12-.76]). Having some college, a two-year degree, or a four-year degree increased the odds of developing a neurological disorder (HR = 1.67, 95% CI [1.02-2.75], HR = 2.08, 95% CI [1.03-4.20], HR = 2.35, 95% CI [3.10-40.20]). Every one-year increase in age increased the odds of participants being diagnosed with chronic pain (HR =1.05, 95% CI [1.01-1.10]). PTSD was a significant predictor of the development of hypertension in young veterans (HR = 1.42, 95% CI [1.00-2.01],). Given the findings, mental health and medical professionals are poised to deliver more timely interventions to prevent, treat, and screen for hypertension, even in young veterans.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Wolfe, Macey Mendez-Vigo"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)","degree_level":"Dissertation","degree_discipline":"Psychology","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Boyd, Kendal C.","Arechiga, Adam L.","Davis, Luther E.","Morrell, Holly E. R."],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2017,"date_issued":"2017-06-01T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2017-06-01T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:52:45Z","subjects":["Psychology","Social and Behavioral Sciences","Post-traumatic Stress Disorder; Veterans - Psychology; Military Personnel; Veterans Health;","PTSD symptomatology;"],"languages":["English"],"rights":["This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights."],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/467","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Boyd, Kendal C.","Arechiga, Adam L.","Davis, Luther E.","Morrell, Holly E. R."]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Wolfe, Macey Mendez-Vigo"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Psychology"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Dissertation"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Psychology","Social and Behavioral Sciences","Post-traumatic Stress Disorder; Veterans - Psychology; Military Personnel; Veterans Health;","PTSD symptomatology;"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language","label":"Dc Language","values":["English"]},{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights."]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/467"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["PTSD has been linked to the development of numerous health conditions; this study’s aim is to determine if PTSD predicts the diagnosis of type II diabetes, overweight/obesity, hypertension, musculoskeletal disorders, neurological disorders, and chronic pain. Participants were 416 veterans presenting for PTSD assessment/treatment that had served in the most recent conflicts (Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation New Dawn, and Dessert Storm) with a mean age of 35.5 (SD = 10.9). Participants completed a measure of PTSD symptomatology. Electronic medical records were used to obtain diagnosis of health conditions. Cox-Regression analyses were used to evaluate PTSD as a predictor of time to diagnosis for each of the health condition, after controlling for sex, education, and race/ethnicity. Asian/Pacific islanders had greater odds of a type 2 diabetes diagnosis when compared to White/Caucasian participants (HR = 5.99, 95% CI [.1.15-31.17]). Identifying as Asian/Pacific islander decreased the odds of participants being diagnosed with a neurological condition compared to White/Caucasian participants (HR =.25, 95% CI [.35-8.6]). Participants who identified as Hispanic/Latino had lower odds of being diagnosed with overweight/obesity, neurological disorders, and musculoskeletal disorders compared to White/Caucasian participants (HR = .37, 95% CI [.19-.70], HR = .55, 95% CI [.35-8.6], HR = .48 95% CI [.27-.87]). The odds of being diagnosed with hypertension were higher for participants identifying as Hispanic/Latino than Caucasian/White participants (HR = 2.90, 95% CI [1.29-6.58]). Having a two-year degree compared to a high school degree decreased the odds of participants having overweight/obesity (HR = .31, 95% CI [.12-.76]). Having some college, a two-year degree, or a four-year degree increased the odds of developing a neurological disorder (HR = 1.67, 95% CI [1.02-2.75], HR = 2.08, 95% CI [1.03-4.20], HR = 2.35, 95% CI [3.10-40.20]). Every one-year increase in age increased the odds of participants being diagnosed with chronic pain (HR =1.05, 95% CI [1.01-1.10]). PTSD was a significant predictor of the development of hypertension in young veterans (HR = 1.42, 95% CI [1.00-2.01],). Given the findings, mental health and medical professionals are poised to deliver more timely interventions to prevent, treat, and screen for hypertension, even in young veterans.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Veterans, PTSD Severity, and Health Conditions Over Time"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Boyd, Kendal C.","Arechiga, Adam L.","Davis, Luther E.","Morrell, Holly E. R."],"dc:creator":["Wolfe, Macey Mendez-Vigo"],"dc:description.abstract":["PTSD has been linked to the development of numerous health conditions; this study’s aim is to determine if PTSD predicts the diagnosis of type II diabetes, overweight/obesity, hypertension, musculoskeletal disorders, neurological disorders, and chronic pain. Participants were 416 veterans presenting for PTSD assessment/treatment that had served in the most recent conflicts (Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation New Dawn, and Dessert Storm) with a mean age of 35.5 (SD = 10.9). Participants completed a measure of PTSD symptomatology. Electronic medical records were used to obtain diagnosis of health conditions. Cox-Regression analyses were used to evaluate PTSD as a predictor of time to diagnosis for each of the health condition, after controlling for sex, education, and race/ethnicity. Asian/Pacific islanders had greater odds of a type 2 diabetes diagnosis when compared to White/Caucasian participants (HR = 5.99, 95% CI [.1.15-31.17]). Identifying as Asian/Pacific islander decreased the odds of participants being diagnosed with a neurological condition compared to White/Caucasian participants (HR =.25, 95% CI [.35-8.6]). Participants who identified as Hispanic/Latino had lower odds of being diagnosed with overweight/obesity, neurological disorders, and musculoskeletal disorders compared to White/Caucasian participants (HR = .37, 95% CI [.19-.70], HR = .55, 95% CI [.35-8.6], HR = .48 95% CI [.27-.87]). The odds of being diagnosed with hypertension were higher for participants identifying as Hispanic/Latino than Caucasian/White participants (HR = 2.90, 95% CI [1.29-6.58]). Having a two-year degree compared to a high school degree decreased the odds of participants having overweight/obesity (HR = .31, 95% CI [.12-.76]). Having some college, a two-year degree, or a four-year degree increased the odds of developing a neurological disorder (HR = 1.67, 95% CI [1.02-2.75], HR = 2.08, 95% CI [1.03-4.20], HR = 2.35, 95% CI [3.10-40.20]). Every one-year increase in age increased the odds of participants being diagnosed with chronic pain (HR =1.05, 95% CI [1.01-1.10]). PTSD was a significant predictor of the development of hypertension in young veterans (HR = 1.42, 95% CI [1.00-2.01],). Given the findings, mental health and medical professionals are poised to deliver more timely interventions to prevent, treat, and screen for hypertension, even in young veterans.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/467"],"dc:language":["English"],"dc:rights":["This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights."],"dc:subject":["Psychology","Social and Behavioral Sciences","Post-traumatic Stress Disorder; Veterans - Psychology; Military Personnel; Veterans Health;","PTSD symptomatology;"],"dc:title":["Veterans, PTSD Severity, and Health Conditions Over Time"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Psychology"],"thesis:degree_level":["Dissertation"],"thesis:degree_name":["Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:52:45Z"}