British Troops Suffering Less Postwar Illness

British soldiers returning from Iraq may be less at risk of war-related illness than U.S. troops because they are more experienced and come under fire less, according to new research.

Among British troops, the Iraq war “has not, so far, been associated with significantly worse health outcomes,” such as post-traumatic stress disorder, researchers said in the study published this week in the Lancet medical journal.

The reports follow a study published in February that found that 19% of U.S. troops returning from Iraq were reporting mental health problems. In the British study, the equivalent figure was 4%.