In the present study, 37 chemical veterans with injury magnitude of moderate and severe based on the standards of Foundation of Martyrs and Veterans Affairs were selected from Mazandaran province. In addition, the spouses of 31 of them were selected and 15 of their close relatives were also enrolled in the study as the control group. The three groups were evaluated by GHQ for their mental health and Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) for their sleep quality. .

The mean score of mental health in veterans, their spouses and close relatives were 44.13 ± 14.4, 34.19 ± 15.2 and 21.73 ± 17.32, respectively, and the mean scores of PSQI test in veterans, their spouses, and their close relatives were 10.94 ± 5.6, 8.7 ± 5.5 and 4.27 ± 1 showing a statistically significant difference between the three groups (P ≤ 0.0001). There was a positive relationship between mental health and sleep quality in veterans and their spouses, that is, (r = 0.4▮P = 0.02) and (r = 0.83, P < 0.0001), respectively. However, no relationship was found between mental health and sleep quality in their close relatives: r = 0.01, P = 0.96).

It could be claimed that poor sleep quality in chemical veterans, compared to their spouses and close relatives, could be due to mental health, rather than chemical effects and chronic lung disease; therefore, treatment of mental health might be an important step in improving the sleep quality of veterans.