Original Research J Clin Psychiatry May 2026

National Trends in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Among US Military Veterans: Results From the 2025–2026 National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study

Full Article Read the complete peer-reviewed article in J Clin Psychiatry. Clinical Summary PTSD in veterans drives disability, health care use, and loss of functioning, but clinicians need current prevalence data as the veteran population changes over time. This study shows that PTSD is more common in US veterans than in prior national surveys and that trauma burden and current PTSD are both tied to substantially worse functional disability. FAQ How common was PTSD among US military veterans in the 2025–2026 National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study?

Key Takeaways PTSD prevalence in veterans exceeded prior NHRVS estimates across survey waves, with lifetime PTSD rising to 14.4% (95% CI, 12.6%–16.4%) and past-month PTSD to 7.3% (95% CI, 6.0%–8.9%); using 2024 Census benchmarks, this translates to approximately 2.5 million veterans with lifetime PTSD and approximately 1.2 million with past-month PTSD. Clinical Guide How should clinicians assess trauma-related functional burden in veterans beyond PTSD symptoms alone? Clinical Guide How should clinicians screen US military veterans for probable PTSD risk using the risk patterns identified in this study? Patient Guide How can you prepare for a helpful conversation with your doctor about trauma and possible PTSD symptoms as a veteran? Patient Guide How can you keep track of trauma-related symptoms and daily struggles to share with your doctor?