Military Environmental Exposure Concerns, PTSD, and Somatic Symptoms: Their Interrelation Among Treatment-Seeking Veterans

OBJECTIVE: Research suggests military environmental exposure concerns are associated with negative health outcomes. This study investigated the relationship among exposure concerns, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and somatic symptoms to enhance post-deployment health care programs for veterans. METHODS: We analyzed intake health data from a heterogeneous sample of predominantly Operation Desert Storm/Shield and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF)/Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) veterans (N = 247). RESULTS: Individual exposure concerns and somatic symptoms were associated with higher PTSD symptom severity. Regression modeling demonstrated total exposure concerns and PTSD symptom severity linked with total somatic symptom severity. Mediation modeling revealed PTSD symptom severity to partially explain the relation between exposure concerns and somatic symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: These findings illustrate the need for integrative treatment approaches incorporating physiological and exposure-related concerns associated with PTSD among veterans.