Does Wartime Captivity Affect Late-Life Mental Health? A Study of Vietnam-Era Repatriated Prisoners of War

Abstract

This study extended our previous analyses of predictors of well-being shortly after homecoming among U.S. Vietnam-era repatriated prisoners of war. We examined associations of demographic factors, captivity stressors, and repatriation mental health with posttraumatic stress, anxiety, and depression nearly 30 years later in 292 Vietnam-era repatriated prisoners of war. For most, symptoms were within normal limits, but a substantial minority reported clinically elevated levels. Age at capture and posttraumatic stress symptoms at repatriation predicted all three long-term mental health outcomes. Physical torture also predicted long-term posttraumatic stress symptoms. Findings highlight both long-term effects of captivity and significant capacity for resilience.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This study was supported by grants from the Center for Naval Analyses to the Boston VA Research Institute (T. Keane, principal investigator), and by the R. E. Mitchell Center for Repatriated Prisoner of War Studies, Pensacola, FL (D. King, principal investigator). Support for this study was also provided by the VA National Center for PTSD and the Massachusetts Veterans Epidemiology Research and Information Center, VA Boston Healthcare System. Additional support was provided by a grant from the National Institutes of Health (R24-AG039343, A. Spiro and C. Aldwin, co-principal investigators), and by a Merit Review and a Research Career Scientist Award to Dr. Spiro from Clinical Science Research and Development Service, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The authors would like to acknowledge the contributions of Drs. Terence Keane, Danny Kaloupek, and Jeffrey Moore to this work. Additionally, the authors express their appreciation to their colleagues of the Stress, Health, and Aging Research Program (SHARP), VA Boston Healthcare System.