ABSTRACT

The aim of this study was to investigate the association between posttraumatic stress disorders and alcohol use disorders developing after conflict in a group of Azerbaijeni veterans who had participated in Karabagh war. A total of 134 cases who had participated in Karabagh war and was referred to Baku Central Military Hospital Psychiatry Service because of psychiatric complaints were included in the study. Of all the cases, 46 and 88 were diagnosed to have posttraumatic stress disorders and another Axis I anxiety disorder (control group), respectively, after clinical examination and Structured Clinical Interwiev for DSM-IV (SCID-I). There were no significant differences between the posttraumatic stress disorders group and control group with respect to age, education level, marital status and living place. The rate of alcohol use disorder in posttraumatic stress disorders group was higher than that of the group with another anxiety disorder. It was shown that the presence of posttraumatic stress disorder among the soldiers who had participated in Karabagh war increased the ratio of alcohol use disorders. The presence of posttraumatic stress disorders may be a triggering factor for alcohol use disorders. It is suggested that patients with posttraumatic stress disorders should be examined in detail with respect to the presence of alcohol use disorders.