Invisible Wounds: Mental Health and Cognitive Care Needs of America's Returning Veterans
ثبت نشده
چکیده
S ince October 2001, approximately 1.64 million U.S. troops have deployed to support operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. Many have been exposed for prolonged periods to combat-related stress or traumatic events. Safeguarding the mental health of these servicemembers and veterans is an important part of ensuring the future readiness of our military force and compensating and honoring those who have served our nation. In the wake of recent reports and media attention, public concern about the care of the war wounded is high. In response, several task forces, independent review groups, and a Presidential Commission have examined the care of the war wounded and recommended improvements. Policy changes and funding shifts are already under way. However, the impetus for policy change has outpaced the knowledge needed to inform solutions. Fundamental gaps remain in our understanding of the mental health and cognitive needs of U.S. servicemembers returning from Afghanistan and Iraq, the costs of mental health and cognitive conditions, and the care systems available to deliver treatment.
منابع مشابه
Mental health issues in recently returning women veterans: implications for practice.
Increasing numbers of women are found in the military, and they are now performing roles very similar to those of male service members. More returning servicewomen and veterans have been exposed to stressful and traumatic experiences, such as combat and difficult living circumstances, and military sexual trauma is common. These experiences have been found to be associated with adverse mental he...
متن کاملLack of access to mental health services contributing to the high suicide rates among veterans
The United States has become a country that is constantly at war. This situation has created a crisis amongst our veterans. The current uneven access to appropriate mental health services that returning U.S. veterans encounter echoes the disparities in access to quality mental health services for the general population. The information presented here shows that the shortcomings of our health ca...
متن کاملInvisible Wounds: Predicting the Immediate and Long-Term Consequences of Mental Health Problems in Veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom
What are likely to be the short-term and long-term consequences of the mental health and cognitive injuries sustained by troops during OEF and OIF? To address this question, this review draws upon the existing literature, extrapolates where necessary to the current conflicts, and makes policy recommendations.
متن کاملMental health care needs among recent war veterans.
Given this history and the fact that U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan are serving for prolonged periods in a hazardous combat environment, we expect the mental health care needs of our newest veterans to be great. In a survey of 3671 Army soldiers and Marines who were involved in combat in Iraq and Afghanistan, up to 17 percent of those returning reported symptoms consistent with major depre...
متن کاملThe Role of Psychologists in the Care of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans in Primary Care Settings
Although military personnel serving in Iraq and Afghanistan are at high risk of developing mental health problems, many report significant barriers to care and few seek help. Integrated primary care is a comprehensive model of health care that aims to improve access to care and provides a framework to assess and meet the complex psychiatric needs of newly returning veterans by embedding mental ...
متن کامل