Prevalence and Psychological Correlates of Traumatic Brain Injury in Operation Iraqi Freedom

Objective: To describe the prevalence and psychological correlates of traumatic brain injury (TBI) among injured male combatants in the Iraq conflict. Participants: A total of 781 men injured during military combat between September 2004 and February 2005. Main Outcome Measures: Mental health diagnosis (ICD-9 290-319), particularly posttraumatic stress disorder and mood/anxiety disorders, assigned through November 2006. Results: 15.8% met criteria for TBI (13.4% mild, 2.4% moderate-severe TBI), 35.0% other head injury, and 49.2% non-head injury. Multivariate logistic regression suggested lower rates of posttraumatic stress disorder and mood/anxiety disorders among those with mild and moderate-severe TBI. Conclusions: These findings could reflect a problem with differential diagnosis or, conversely, a low rate of self-presentation for symptoms. Further research is needed to elucidate the psychological consequences, clinical implications, and overall impact of TBI among military combat veterans.