The Psychological Risks of Vietnam for U.S. Veterans: A Revisit with New Data and Methods

Abstract

In 1988, the National Vietnam Veterans Readjustment Study (NVVRS) of a representative sample of 1200 veterans estimated that 30.9% had developed posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) during their lifetimes and that 15.2% were currently suffering from PTSD. The study also found a strong dose-response relationship: As retrospective reports of combat exposure increased, PTSD occurrence increased. Skeptics have argued that these results are inflated by recall bias and other flaws. We used military records to construct a new exposure measure and to cross-check exposure reports in diagnoses of 260 NVVRS veterans. We found little evidence of falsification, an even stronger doseresponse relationship, and psychological costs that were lower than previously estimated but still substantial. According to our fully adjusted PTSD rates, 18.7% of the veterans had developed warrelated PTSD during their lifetimes and 9.1% were currently suffering from PTSD 11 to 12 years after the war; current PTSD was typically associated with moderate impairment.

Symptoms of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Depression in Relation to Alcohol-Use and Alcohol-Related Problems among Canadian Forces Veterans

“…17 Extant literature concerning both military and civilian samples reveals mixed findings regarding relations among alcohol misuse and specific PTSD symptom clusters (that is, hyperarousal, avoidance or numbing, or reexperiencing). Researchers investigating these associations have reported hyperarousal, 18,19 reexperiencing, 20 and, most recently, numbing, 21 as being uniquely and strongly associated with alcohol misuse. Similarly, veterans reporting depressive symptoms have also been found to report elevated levels of alcohol misuse subsequent to a traumatic event.…”

“…Analogously, various military deployment characteristics (for example, number of deployments) have also been assessed owing to posited increased or protracted exposure to trauma precipitating PTSD, 25 alcohol use, 26 and depression. 27 Previous studies have assessed relations among alcohol misuse, PTSD, and depressive symptoms primarily with male or combined male and female veteran samples, 18,19,21 giving little attention to sex-specific differences. In recent years, women have begun serving in deployment roles (for example, regular combat forces) in greater frequency and with increased responsibilities 28 ; accordingly, the exploration of samples of women veterans is warranted to assess the mental health effects of occupation-specific stressors on this population.…”

Physical activity in postdeployment Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation Enduring Freedom veterans using Department of Veterans Affairs services

“…In comparison with the general public and veterans not using the VA, veterans using VA services have also been shown to self-report poorer health [4][5][6]; are more likely to be physically inactive [2]; and are more likely to carry one or more chronic diagnoses such as hypertension, hypercholesteremia, and diabetes [2,4,[6][7]. Moreover, U.S. veterans who have spent time in theater often experience mental illnesses, pain syndromes, and musculoskeletal complaints [8][9][10][11][12]. These represent independent risk factors for sedentary behavior and obesity and are associated with increased morbidity and mortality [13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20].…”

Glasgow Coma Scale scores, early opioids, and 4-year psychological outcomes among combat amputees

“…Preventing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a priority for military healthcare providers because of its adverse effects on health and financial costs [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9]. For patients with serious combat limb injuries, PTSD can complicate and prolong rehabilitation [8].…”