Psychiatr Serv. 2014 Jun 1;65(6):833-5. doi: 10.1176/appi.ps.201300111.
Roughly half of veterans who served in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF) have not received services from the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). This study assessed probable posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression among OEF/OIF veterans by receipt of VHA services.
In 2010 a mixed-mode survey assessing symptoms and VHA services utilization was fielded in a random sample of 913 New York State OEF/OIF veterans.
Probable PTSD and depression were roughly three times more common among veterans who had received VHA services (N=537) (PTSD, 23%; depression, 21%) than those who had not (N=376) (PTSD, 6%; depression, 8%).
Studies of veterans receiving VHA services likely overstate the prevalence of mental health problems among the broader OEF/OIF veteran population. However, many veterans with mental health problems are not receiving VHA services. Policies that improve outreach to this population may improve health outcomes.
在曾参加持久自由行动(OEF)和伊拉克自由行动(OIF)的退伍军人中,约有一半尚未接受退伍军人健康管理局(VHA)的服务。本研究通过评估 VHA 服务的利用情况,来评估 OEF/OIF 退伍军人中可能患有创伤后应激障碍(PTSD)和抑郁症的情况。
2010 年,采用混合模式调查方法,对纽约州 913 名 OEF/OIF 退伍军人进行了症状和 VHA 服务利用情况的随机抽样调查。
与未接受 VHA 服务的退伍军人(N=376)相比,接受过 VHA 服务的退伍军人(N=537)中可能患有 PTSD 和抑郁症的比例大约高出三倍(PTSD,23%;抑郁症,21%)。
对接受 VHA 服务的退伍军人进行的研究可能夸大了更广泛的 OEF/OIF 退伍军人群体中精神健康问题的流行率。然而,许多有精神健康问题的退伍军人并未接受 VHA 服务。改善针对这一人群的外展政策可能会改善健康结果。