64% of Injured Soldiers Diagnosed with Acute Stress Disorder in Shaare Zedek Study
A Shaare Zedek Medical Center study on Iron Swords war soldiers shows 64% developed acute stress disorder, strongly linked to prior trauma and exposure to fatalities.
A study conducted at the Shaare Zedek Medical Center among soldiers injured during the Iron Swords war found that 64% of them were diagnosed with acute stress disorder (ASD). The findings highlighted a particularly significant link to prior personal trauma and exposure to fatalities during the event in which the soldiers were wounded.
Early Intervention is Critical
The researchers emphasized the importance of identifying vulnerable soldiers early on to tailor early psychological interventions and minimize long-term consequences, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). "Understanding who the soldiers are who are at increased risk for stress disorder and post-trauma highlights the importance of initial psychological intervention, which can help facilitate better spontaneous recovery," says Yona Luria, head of the psychological service at Shaare Zedek and one of the lead researchers.
The study, published in the journal Military Medicine, examined the medical records of 142 soldiers injured in the war who were admitted to the Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem between October 7, 2023, and December 31, 2024. The researchers sought to identify which factors—social, familial, prior trauma, and characteristics of the injury event—are associated with the development of ASD.
"The factors we identified serve as red flags for the staff, signaling in which cases more significant intervention or more intensive support is required," Luria noted.
Prior Trauma and Fatalities
One of the most prominent findings concerned prior trauma: among soldiers who had previously experienced personal trauma, the odds of an ASD diagnosis were 6.49 times higher compared to soldiers without such a history. According to the researchers, these included events from private life, such as a recent divorce, the death of a close person, or a severe medical diagnosis of a family member. Prior combat-related trauma was associated with 3.9 times higher odds.
The researchers also examined the characteristics of the event in which each soldier was wounded, finding that 62 of the wounded (43.7%) were present at events involving fatalities. Among the 91 soldiers diagnosed with ASD, 49 were exposed to such an event. The presence of fatalities was linked to 2.9 times higher odds of diagnosis, whereas the mere presence of additional wounded soldiers was not found to be significantly associated with the development of the disorder.
Adapting the Medical Response
"From the very first moment the results came in, it changed our perception and practice," says Mary Babkin Klein, a trauma coordinator nurse at Shaare Zedek and initiator of the study. "It is true that every soldier underwent a psychological evaluation before as well, but following the findings, we knew in advance which fighters might be at risk."
The study also noted that mental health care in Israel has undergone a significant transformation since October 7, emphasizing the integration of psychological care alongside physical treatment from the earliest possible moment in emergency situations.
