Objective  To investigate the status and influencing factors of depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among veterans in China and to provide references for promoting mental health of the population.

  Methods  We conducted a questionnaire survey among 1 100 veterans under 80 years recruited from 30 provincial-level regions across China with cluster sampling during May – July 2019. Mental health status of the participants was assessed using the short version of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CESD-9) Chinese version, the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-2), and PTSD risk scale.

  Results  For all the valid respondents (1 045, 95.00% of the veterans recruited), the mean depression score was 9.73 ± 6.86 and the score differed significantly by education, military rank and income (all P < 0.001); the mean anxiety score was 2.09 ± 1.91 and the score differed significantly by age, education, military rank, and economic income (all P < 0.01). The proportion of the participants assessed as at high risk of PTSD was 42.58% and the proportion was significantly associated with education, military rank, economic income, and major military action experience (all P < 0.01). The results of linear regression analysis indicated that significant influencing factors for depression score included income (β = – 0.13, P < 0.001), alcohol consumption (β = 0.12, P < 0.001), and sleep quality (β = – 0.59, P < 0.001) and significant impact factors for anxiety score included income (β = – 0.11, P < 0.01), alcohol consumption (β = 0.08, P < 0.01) and sleep quality (β = – 0.64, P < 0.001). The results of logistic regression analysis revealed that age (odds ratio OR = 1.04, 95% confidence interval 95% CI: 1.02 – 1.06), with major military action experience (OR = 1.60, 95% CI: 1.11 – 2.30), alcohol consumption (OR = 1.18, 95% CI: 1.05 – 1.32) were significant risk factors for PTSD; while, sleep quality (OR = 0.74, 95% CI: 0.68 – 0.80) was a protective factors against PTSD significantly.

  Conclusion  Among Chinese veterans, the mental health was at a low level; alcohol consumption is a risk factor but income and sleep quality are protective factors against depression and anxiety; at older age, with major military action experience, and alcohol consumption are risk factors for PTSD risk, while, sleep quality is a protective factor against PTSD risk.