The relationship between post-traumatic stress disorder and gastrointestinal disease in United States Military Veterans.

Background: This study examined the relationship between gastrointestinal disease and post-traumatic stress disorder in U.S. military Veterans. Based on literature and clinical practice data sources from the U.S. Veterans Administration, gastrointestinal disease and post-traumatic stress disorder were hypothesized to be positively correlated in Veterans.

Objectives: This study aimed to determine the frequency with which gastrointestinal disease and post-traumatic stress disorder are diagnosed comorbidities, a diagnosis of gastrointestinal disease accompanies a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder, and a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder accompanies a diagnosis of a gastrointestinal disease.

Methods: The methodology was a retrospective, correlational design using data collected from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs patient database.

Results: The results were that post-traumatic stress disorder is bi-directionally correlated with the gastrointestinal diseases of gastroesophageal reflux disease, peptic ulcer disease, functional dyspepsia, Crohn's disease, diverticular disease, irritable bowel syndrome, and the symptoms of constipation and nausea/vomiting within Veterans who served during wartime periods. The study also found that post-traumatic stress disorder is not correlated with ulcerative colitis in Veterans.

Conclusions: The conclusions are that clinicians who see a presentation of post-traumatic stress disorder should be screening for gastrointestinal disease, while primary care and gastroenterology providers treating gastrointestinal disease should be screening for a history of trauma, as improved diagnosis rates may lead to improved treatment.