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Friday, August 15, 2008
5:18 AM
posted by Aric Thorpe, MHR
The mental health affects of war on child soldiers
A recent study set its focus on the mental health affects of war on child soldiers. The findings coincided with the obvious assumptions that one would be likely to have, that these children suffer severe problems with posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, and general psychological difficulties. The study's findings, provided by researcher Brandon A. Kohrt of Emory University, Atlanta, and colleagues, were published in the August 13 issue of JAMA. Although one might expect child soldiers to suffer from mental health problems, the study brings timely attention to this international epidemic. The following is an excerpt of an article from Medical News Today that reviews the study:
Kohrt and colleagues found that 75 of the child soldiers (52.3%) met the symptom cutoff score for depression, 65 (46.1%) met the score for anxiety, 78 (55.3%) met the criteria for PTSD, 55 (39%) met the criteria for general psychological difficulties, and 88 (62.4%) were functionally impaired. Statistically adjusting for traumatic exposures and other possibly confounding variables held that being a child soldier was significantly associated with depression and PTSD among girls (2.4 and 6.8 times higher odds, respectively) and PTSD among boys (3.8 times higher odds). However, there was no statistical association between being a child soldier and general psychological difficulties, anxiety, or function impairment.
Click here to read the rest of the story from Medical News Today
link to this post 
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Stephen Harnish, MD is the Medical Director of Brookhaven Hospital. He is board certified in psychiatry, and is a graduate of Dartmouth Medical School. Dr. Harnish is a member of the American Psychiatric Association and is well known in Oklahoma for his informative radio and television appearances.
Rev Robert Wester is
Senior Chaplain at Brookhaven Hospital and the RENEWAL programs. Chaplain
Wester conducts daily devotional services and offers pastoral counseling
to clients in the RENEWAL program.
Aric Thorpe, MHR, is Brookhaven Hospital's
Pastoral Liaison Representative. He conducts the quarterly Minister's
Lifeline series and provides mental health information to pastors
and clergy.
Sarah McGee, BA, serves as the Community
Education Provider for Brookhaven Hospital. She provides information
on mental health and drug and alcohol treatment to healthcare professionals
in Oklahoma and surrounding states. |
