Psychiatric symptoms in chemical and somatic combat veterans

Aims. War is a major effective factor on general health and its morbidity and mortality has constant psychosomatic effects. Martyrs health condition is very important for Iranian physicians and according to cultural factors other countries psychological experiments cannot help so much. In this study, we aimed to assess psychologic signs of martyrs in mashhad in order to improve their health condition. Methods. In this cross-sectional analytic descriptive study, we analyzed psychological signs in chemical and physical combat veterans in 2005 in Mashhad. We studied 200 chemical or physical martyrs under coverage of martyr foundation. Our cases selected randomly and data gathered using SCL-90 and epidemiologic questionnaires. Data analyzed by SPSS 11.5 software and underwent statistical tests such as t and ANOVA. Results. GSI score was above cut off level in 190 cases out of 200 martyrs so 95% suffered from a hind of psychopathy. GSI in chemical martyrs was higher than physical martyrs and the differences were meaningful (p<0.05) except panic index. Hypochondriasis, psychosis and panic indexes had a higher mean score in chemical martyrs and hypochondriasis, panic and paranoid had a higher mean score in physical martyrs. Conclusion. 95% prevalence of psychological disorders in martyrs shows that some of these cases have chronic psychotic disorder. Keywords: