- 19 percent screened positive for Migraines,
- 32 percent screened positive for depression,
- 22 percent screened positive for post-traumatic stress disorder, and
- 13 percent screened positive for anxiety.
The researchers found that:
- 50 percent of those with Migraine also had depression, compared to 27 percent of those without Migraine.
- A total of 39 percent of those with Migraine also had post-traumatic stress disorder, compared to 18 percent of those without Migraine.
- And 22 percent of those with Migraine also had anxiety, compared to 10 percent of those without Migraine.
The authors also found that soldiers with Migraines who had symptoms of depression tended to have more frequent Migraines, an average of 3.5 days per month, compared with 2.5 days per month compared with soldiers without depression. Similarly, soldiers with Migraine and symptoms of PTSD had an average of 3.5 Migraine days per month, compared with 2.7 headaches day per month in soldier without signs of post-traumatic stress. There was no effect of anxiety on Migraine frequency. Study author Maj. Jay C. Erickson said,
"Previous studies in non-military populations had revealed a higher prevalence of certain psychiatric conditions, such as depression and anxiety, among people with Migraine… We hypothesized that there would be a similar relationship between Migraine and psychiatric conditions in soldiers. The precise reasons for such an association are not fully understood, but may be related to similarities in the mechanisms underlying Migraines and some psychiatric disorders.
"These findings should alert health care providers, especially those affiliated with the military or veteran health care systems, about the frequent association of Migraine headaches and psychiatric conditions in soldiers returning from deployment… We recommend that health care providers who evaluate combat veterans for headaches perform mental health screening in order to ensure that psychiatric disorders are identified and properly treated. All soldiers returning from deployment presently undergo mental health screening."
