Mental Illness Among U.S. Veterans

Almost a third of veterans from the war in Iraq and Afghanistan have been diagnosed with a psychosocial or mental health illness, reports a new study.

Researchers from the University of California, San Francisco and Health Service s Research and Development Research Enhancement Award Program and the San Francisco VA Medical Center studied mental health disorders among 103,788 U.S. veterans who returned from Iraq and Afghanistan.

According to the study, veterans of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF) have endured high combat stress and are eligible for two years of free military service-related health care through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care system, yet little is known about the burden and clinical circumstances of mental health diagnoses among OEF/OIF veterans seen at VA facilities.

The study included U.S. veterans separated from OEF/OIF military service and first seen at VA health care facilities between September 30, 2001 (U.S. invasion of Afghanistan), and September 30, 2005. Mental health diagnoses and psychosocial problems were assessed using International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification codes.

Researchers found that out of 103,788 OEF/OIF veterans seen at VA health care facilities, 25,658 or 25 percent received mental health diagnosis(es); 56 percent of whom had two or more distinct mental health diagnoses. Overall, 32,010 or 31 percent received mental health and/or psychosocial diagnoses.

Mental health diagnoses were detected soon after the first VA clinic visit (average of 13 days), and 60 percent of initial mental health diagnoses were made in non-mental health clinics, mostly in primary care settings. The youngest group of OEF/OIF veterans, aged 18-24 years, were at greatest risk of receiving mental health or posttraumatic stress disorder diagnoses compared with veterans 40 years or older.

Researchers concluded that co-occurring mental health diagnoses and psychosocial problems were detected early and in primary care medical settings in a substantial proportion of OEF/OIF veterans seen at VA facilities. Researchers recommended targeted early detection and intervention beginning in primary care settings to prevent chronic mental illness and disability.

Alternative treatments for mental illnesses with good scientific evidence include hypnotherapy, hypnosis, music therapy, psychotherapy and yoga.