Download or read book Health Outcomes Among Veterans in Relation to Service and Combat Exposure in Vietnam written by Carrie Tomasallo and published by . This book was released on 2007 with total page 536 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Introduction. The relationships among military service, combat intensity and long-term health effects were investigated in a cohort of 6,355 Vietnam-era American Legionnaires who were recruited in 1984 and followed through 1998. First, the effect of Vietnam service on coronary heart disease (CHD) risk was assessed among 3,781 veterans who responded to both questionnaires. Next, the effect of serving in Vietnam and combat exposure was investigated as risk factors for the mortality of the cohort. Finally, potential threats to the validity of this study were evaluated. Methods. Military service and lifestyle factors were assessed by questionnaires in 1984 and 1998. Vital status in 1998 was determined and causes of death were ascertained through the National Death Index. Cox proportional hazards modeling was used to calculate hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for CHD incidence and mortality in relation to service location and combat exposure, adjusting for age, smoking, alcohol consumption, body mass, and hypertension. Response bias and reliability of self-reported data were examined. Results. Serving in Vietnam was associated with an increased hazard of developing heart disease (HR=1.37, 95% CI: 1.09, 1.73), after controlling for independent risk factors. Vietnam veterans experienced a 50% higher mortality than non-Vietnam veterans during 14-year follow-up (HR=1.48, 95% CI= 1.13 - 1.93), which increased with combat intensity after adjustment for other risk factors, (low combat: HR 1.17, 95% CI 0.79 - 1.73; medium combat HR=1.51, 95% CI 1.05 - 2.17; high combat HR=1.82, 95% CI 1.20 - 2.76). A stronger relationship was observed by level of combat for CHD mortality (low combat: HR =1.48, 95% CI 0.75 - 2.95; medium combat HR= 2.01, 95% CI 1.06 - 3.79; high combat HR= 2.27, 95% CI 1.08 - 4.79). Results showed that non-respondents differed only slightly from respondents for important variables potentially related to exposures and chronic disease outcomes. Furthermore, veteran self-report was moderately to highly reliable when measured over a 14 year period. Conclusions. Vietnam veterans are still experiencing higher rates of adverse health effects, even more than thirty years after their military service. These data support a long term and independent adverse effect of military service in Vietnam on cardiovascular health.

Download or read book Combat Exposure and Mental Health written by Daniel M. Gade and published by . This book was released on 2011 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Using a random sample of more than 4000 veterans, we test the effects of combat exposure on mental health. We focus on two cohorts of veterans: those who served in Vietnam (1964-1975) and the Gulf War (1990-1991). Combat exposure differed between these groups in intensity, duration and elapsed time since exposure. We find that combat exposure generally, and exposure to dead, dying, or wounded people, specifically, is a significant predictor of mental health declines as measured by an individual's Mental Component Summary (MCS) score. Under our general specifications, the negative effects of combat on mental health were larger for Gulf war veterans than for Vietnam veterans as of 2001. These effects persist after controlling for demographic characteristics, insurance coverage, income and assets. Using discrete factor, nonparametric maximum likelihood (DFML) estimation we controlled for unobserved heterogeneity as well as the factors above. In the DFML specifications we find a negative impact of exposure to dead, wounded or dying people for both Gulf and Vietnam veterans, but find no statistically significant effect for combat exposure overall for Vietnam veterans as of 2001. Based on our Gulf war parameters, we estimate that the costs of mental health declines to be between $87 and $318 per year for each soldier with combat service and exposure to dead, dying, and wounded people.

Download or read book Surviving Vietnam written by Bruce Philip Dohrenwend and published by Oxford University Press, USA. This book was released on 2019 with total page 353 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Uniquely using historical material and military records as well as personal interviews and clinical diagnoses, Surviving Vietnam focuses on veterans' war-zone experiences and the development in some of PTSD. It addresses controversies regarding reported rates of PTSD and the importance of exposure to traumatic events compared with pre-war personal vulnerability.

Download or read book Homelessness Among U S Veterans written by Jack Tsai and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2019 with total page 297 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The challenges facing military veterans who return to civilian life in the United States are persistent and well documented. But for all the political outcry and attempts to improve military members' readjustments, veterans of all service eras face formidable obstacles related to mental health, substance abuse, employment, and — most damningly — homelessness. Homelessness Among U.S. Veterans synthesizes the new glut of research on veteran homelessness — geographic trends, root causes, effective and ineffective interventions to mitigate it — in a format that provides a needed reference as this public health fight continues to be fought. Codifying the data and research from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) campaign to end veteran homelessness, psychologist Jack Tsai links disparate lines of research to produce an advanced and elegant resource on a defining social issue of our time.

Download or read book PTSD Research Quarterly written by and published by . This book was released on 1991 with total page 8 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Legacies of Vietnam written by and published by . This book was released on 1981 with total page 414 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Stress Disorders Among Vietnam Veterans Theory Research written by Charles R. Figley and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2014-07-22 with total page 364 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: First published in 1978. This book represents a unique accomplishment in pulling together in one place the broadest collection of material yet published on the psychological problems of veterans of the Vietnam war. It will provide not only an important historical document, but an invaluable resource in detailing many of the issues involved. This book should lay to rest many of the misconceptions about the Vietnam Veteran.

Download or read book The National Vietnam Veterans Readjustment Study written by Richard A. Kulka and published by Brunner/Mazel Publisher. This book was released on 1990 with total page 1044 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Agent Orange Review written by and published by . This book was released on 1997 with total page 8 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Veterans and Agent Orange written by Committee to Review the Health Effects in Vietnam Veterans of Exposure to Herbicides and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 1994-01-15 with total page 791 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Have U.S. military personnel experienced health problems from being exposed to Agent Orange, its dioxin contaminants, and other herbicides used in Vietnam? This definitive volume summarizes the strength of the evidence associating exposure during Vietnam service with cancer and other health effects and presents conclusions from an expert panel. Veterans and Agent Orange provides a historical review of the issue, examines studies of populations, in addition to Vietnam veterans, environmentally and occupationally exposed to herbicides and dioxin, and discusses problems in study methodology. The core of the book presents What is known about the toxicology of the herbicides used in greatest quantities in Vietnam. What is known about assessing exposure to herbicides and dioxin. What can be determined from the wide range of epidemiological studies conducted by different authorities. What is known about the relationship between exposure to herbicides and dioxin, and cancer, reproductive effects, neurobehavioral disorders, and other health effects. The book describes research areas of continuing concern and offers recommendations for further research on the health effects of Agent Orange exposure among Vietnam veterans. This volume will be critically important to both policymakers and physicians in the federal government, Vietnam veterans and their families, veterans organizations, researchers, and health professionals.

Download or read book Protocol for Epidemiologic Studies of the Health of Vietnam Veterans written by Centers for Disease Control (U.S.) and published by . This book was released on 1983 with total page 112 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Long term Outcomes of Military Service written by Avron Spiro and published by American Psychological Association (APA). This book was released on 2017-10 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Using data compiled from longitudinal studies of World War II, Korean War, and Vietnam War veterans, contributors to this groundbreaking book examine the effects of military service across the lifespan. The US spends over 100 billion dollars annually on healthcare for more than 30 million active military and veterans. The prevalence of negative trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among military veterans is well-known. But other more subtle effects of military service--particularly on health and well-being in later life--are less well-understood, among researchers as well as medical and mental health professionals who care for veterans. Chapters in this book give us crucial insights into the impact of military service, including the surprising finding that service can serve as a protective factor in some contexts, throughout the aging process. Topic areas include the effects of combat and stress on longevity and brain functioning; the use of memory, cognition, and ego development at various points in life; the relationship between experiences of discrimination and the later development of PTSD; marriage longevity; employment; and the way notions of patriotism and nationalism among service personnel and their families may change over time.

Download or read book Surviving Vietnam written by Bruce Philip Dohrenwend and published by . This book was released on 2019 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Military Health Care written by Jomana Amara and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2013-09-02 with total page 348 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This edited volume surveys critical aspects of modern military health care in the US and various other Western countries with troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. In the United States, the military medical system, including care for veterans, is large and diverse and involves two institutions, the US Department of Defense (DoD) and the US Department of Veteran’s Affairs (VA). Studying the system gives practitioners and policy-makers an understanding of the larger picture of the military medical structure, facilitating thought about some of the difficulties and opportunities for coordinating treatments and preparing for the future. This book covers health care issues prior to deployment, such as screening for mental health, evaluating long-term consequences of exposure to military service, and provision of insurance; care during a conflict, primarily battlefield clinics, battlefield trauma care, and evacuation procedures; and post- combat care, including serious war injuries, psychiatric, and long-term care. Bringing together research from a wide range of contributors, the volume provides readers with an extensive, up-to-date source of information on military medicine. This book will be of great interest to students of public health, military sociology, the Iraq war, US public policy, and war and conflict studies in general.

Download or read book Military and Veteran Mental Health written by Laura Weiss Roberts and published by Springer. This book was released on 2018-01-23 with total page 468 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This authoritative and comprehensive title is designed to enhance best clinical practices for all healthcare providers who care for military service personnel and veterans. The book is organized into four sections. The first section covers foundational information on the culture and context of health care for members of the US military and veteran population. The second section focuses on systems of care for mental health needs of military and veteran populations. The third section characterizes best practices as well as ethical issues in clinical care for mental health needs of members of the military and veterans. Guidance in relation to a wide range of clinical topics is provided, such as mood disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, combat and operational stress, military sexual assault, psychosis, and sleep disorders. The last section is intended to assist readers in reinforcing their learning through a set of clinical cases with accompanying questions for deeper consideration. An invaluable resource for all clinicians, allied health personnel, and administrators concerned with the mental health needs of service members and veterans, Military and Veteran Mental Health: A Comprehensive Guide is a gold-standard addition to the literature on military healthcare.

Download or read book Invisible Wounds of War written by Terri L. Tanielian and published by Rand Corporation. This book was released on 2008 with total page 499 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Since October 2001, approximately 1.64 million U.S. troops have been deployed for Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF) in Afghanistan and Iraq. Early evidence suggests that the psychological toll of these deployments -- many involving prolonged exposure to combat-related stress over multiple rotations -- may be disproportionately high compared with the physical injuries of combat. In the face of mounting public concern over post-deployment health care issues confronting OEF/OIF veterans, several task forces, independent review groups, and a Presidential Commission have been convened to examine the care of the war wounded and make recommendations. Concerns have been most recently centered on two combat-related injuries in particular: post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury. With the increasing incidence of suicide and suicide attempts among returning veterans, concern about depression is also on the rise. The study discussed in this monograph focuses on post-traumatic stress disorder, major depression, and traumatic brain injury, not only because of current high-level policy interest but also because, unlike the physical wounds of war, these conditions are often invisible to the eye, remaining invisible to other servicemembers, family members, and society in general. All three conditions affect mood, thoughts, and behavior; yet these wounds often go unrecognized and unacknowledged. The effect of traumatic brain injury is still poorly understood, leaving a large gap in knowledge related to how extensive the problem is or how to address it. RAND conducted a comprehensive study of the post-deployment health-related needs associated with these three conditions among OEF/OIF veterans, the health care system in place to meet those needs, gaps in the care system, and the costs associated with these conditions and with providing quality health care to all those in need. This monograph presents the results of our study, which should be of interest to mental health treatment providers; health policymakers, particularly those charged with caring for our nation's veterans; and U.S. service men and women, their families, and the concerned public. All the research products from this study are available at http://veterans.rand.org. Data collection for this study began in April 2007and concluded in January 2008. Specific activities included a critical reviewof the extant literature on the prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder, major depression, and traumatic brain injury and their short- and long-term consequences; a population-based survey of service members and veterans who served in Afghanistan or Iraq to assess health status and symptoms, as well asutilization of and barriers to care; a review of existing programs to treat service members and veterans with the three conditions; focus groups withmilitary service members and their spouses; and the development of a microsimulation model to forecast the economic costs of these conditions overtime. Among our recommendations is that effective treatments documented in the scientific literature -- evidence-based care -- are available for PTSD and major depression. Delivery of such care to all veterans with PTSD or majordepression would pay for itself within two years, or even save money, by improving productivity and reducing medical and mortality costs. Such care may also be a cost-effective way to retain a ready and healthy military force for the future. However, to ensure that this care is delivered requires system-level changes across the Department of Defense, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the U.S. health care system.

Download or read book National Center for Military Deployment Health Research written by Institute of Medicine and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 1999-12-16 with total page 62 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Concerns about the health of veterans of recent military conflicts have given rise to broader questions regarding the health consequences of service in any major military engagement. The Veterans Program Enhancement Act of 1998 directed the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to enter into an agreement with the National Academy of Sciences to help develop a plan for establishing' a national center (or centers) for the study of war-related illnesses and postdeployment health issues. In response to this legislation, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) asked the Institute of Medicine (IOM) to convene a committee of experts. The charge to the committee was to (1) assist the VA in developing a plan for establishing a national center (or centers) for the study of war-related illnesses and postdeployment health issues, and (2) assess preliminary VA plans and make recommendations regarding such efforts.