TABLE 2—
Self-Reported Deployment Events and Postdeployment Screen Results in US Army Active Duty Members With an Index Deployment Ending in Fiscal Years 2008 to 2011, by Alcohol Status: Substance Use and Psychological Injury Combat Study
| AUDIT-Ca or TICSb |
AUDIT-C Score ≥ 8a |
Interviewing Provider–Assessed Alcohol Problem |
|||||
| Self-Reported Responses | Positive, No. (%) | Negative, No. (%) | Positive, No. (%) | Negative, No. (%) | Positive, No. (%) | Negative, No. (%) | Total Respondents, No. (%) |
| Total | 98 043 (100) | 235 760 (100) | 18 826 (100) | 314 977 (100) | 62 626 (100) | 271 177 (100) | 333 803 (100) |
| Deployment events (during index deployment) | |||||||
| Wounded, injured, or assaulted | 19 482 (19.9) | 37 254 (15.8) | 4350 (23.1) | 52 386 (16.6) | 12 839 (20.5) | 43 897 (16.2) | 56 736 (17.0) |
| Seen by health care provider ≥ 4 times | 20 003 (20.4) | 40 336 (17.1) | 4383 (23.3) | 55 956 (17.8) | 13 033 (20.8) | 47 306 (17.4) | 60 339 (18.1) |
| Postdeployment screen results | |||||||
| TBI with postconcussive symptoms positivec | 6596 (6.7) | 8495 (3.6) | 2072 (11.0) | 13 019 (4.1) | 4589 (7.3) | 10 502 (3.9) | 15 091 (4.5) |
| PC-PTSD positived | 8507 (8.7) | 10 397 (4.4) | 2712 (14.4) | 16 192 (5.1) | 5969 (9.5) | 12 935 (4.8) | 18 904 (5.7) |
| Depression (PHQ-2) positivee | 11 079 (11.3) | 14 524 (6.2) | 3965 (21.1) | 21 638 (6.9) | 7760 (12.4) | 17 843 (6.6) | 25 603 (7.7) |
| Harmful thoughtsf | 2308 (2.4) | 2958 (1.3) | 792 (4.2) | 4474 (1.4) | 1783 (2.8) | 3483 (1.3) | 5266 (1.6) |
| Difficulty with emotional problems in past month (somewhat, very, extremely) | 31 322 (31.9) | 54 985 (23.3) | 8074 (42.9) | 78 233 (24.8) | 21 006 (33.5) | 65 301 (24.0) | 86 307 (25.9) |
| Any deployment event or positive for any postdeployment screens | 52 547 (53.6) | 100 430 (42.6) | 12 226 (64.9) | 140 751 (44.7) | 34 501 (55.1) | 118 476 (43.6) | 152 977 (45.8) |
Note. AUDIT-C = Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test alcohol consumption questions; PC-PTSD = Primary Care–Posttraumatic Stress Disorder; PHQ-2 = 2-item Patient Health Questionnaire; TBI = traumatic brain injury; TICS = Two-Item Conjoint Screen.
The AUDIT-C screens for at-risk drinking and is the sum of 3 consumption items with possible scores ranging from 0 to 12; positive for women ≥ 3, for men ≥ 4. Scores of 8 or higher indicate severe alcohol problems.
The TICS: indicated drinking more than wanted to or reported needing or wanting to cut down on drinking. The TICS is positive if respondent answers affirmatively to either concern.
Positive screen for TBI with postconcussive symptoms in the past week.
Past-month PTSD, based on the PC-PTSD screen, which is positive if the respondent endorses any 3 items out of 4 about PTSD symptoms.
The PHQ-2 is a screening test for depressed mood or anhedonia in the past month; scores range from 0 to 6, with 3 or higher being positive.
Based on response to 2 items, thinking about either harming self or harming others in the past month when asked by Post-Deployment Health Assessment provider.