Schell Terry L, Tanielian Terri, Farmer Carrie M, Jaycox Lisa H, Marshall Grant N, Schell Terry L, Tanielian Terri, Vaughan Christine Anne, Wrenn Glenda
Rand Health Q. 2011 Mar 1;1(1):14. eCollection 2011 Spring.
Mental health disorders and other types of impairments resulting from deployment experiences are beginning to emerge, but fundamental gaps remain in our knowledge about the needs of veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, the services available to meet those needs, and the experiences of veterans who have tried to use these services. This article highlights the findings of a study focused directly on the veterans living in New York state. The study included veterans who currently use U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) services as well as those who do not; and it looked at needs across a broad range of domains. The authors collected information and advice from a series of qualitative interviews with veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF)/Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) residing in New York, as well as their family members. In addition, they conducted a quantitative assessment of the needs of veterans and their spouses from a sample that is broadly representative of OEF/OIF veterans in New York state. Finally, they conducted a review the services currently available in New York state for veterans. The study found substantially elevated rates of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and major depression among veterans. It also found that both VA and non-VA services are critically important for addressing veterans' needs, and that the health care systems that serve veterans are extremely complicated. Addressing veterans' mental health needs will require a multipronged approach: reducing barriers to seeking treatment; improving the sustainment of, or adherence to, treatment; and improving the quality of the services being delivered. Finally, veterans have other serious needs besides mental health care and would benefit from a broad range of services.
因部署经历导致的心理健康障碍和其他类型的损伤开始显现，但在我们对从伊拉克和阿富汗归来的退伍军人的需求、满足这些需求的可用服务以及尝试使用这些服务的退伍军人的经历的了解方面，仍存在根本性差距。本文重点介绍了一项直接针对居住在纽约州的退伍军人的研究结果。该研究包括目前使用美国退伍军人事务部（VA）服务的退伍军人以及未使用的退伍军人；并考察了广泛领域的需求。作者通过对居住在纽约的伊拉克自由行动（OIF）/持久自由行动（OEF）退伍军人及其家庭成员进行一系列定性访谈，收集了信息和建议。此外，他们还对纽约州OEF/OIF退伍军人的一个具有广泛代表性的样本中的退伍军人及其配偶的需求进行了定量评估。最后，他们对纽约州目前为退伍军人提供的服务进行了审查。研究发现退伍军人中创伤后应激障碍（PTSD）和重度抑郁症的发病率大幅上升。研究还发现，VA服务和非VA服务对于满足退伍军人的需求都至关重要，而且为退伍军人服务的医疗保健系统极其复杂。满足退伍军人的心理健康需求需要采取多管齐下的方法：减少寻求治疗的障碍；改善治疗的持续性或依从性；提高所提供服务的质量。最后，退伍军人除了心理健康护理外还有其他严重需求，并且将从广泛的服务中受益。
