Study: One in Five Vets Has 'Invisible Wounds'

National Guard - June 24, 2008

Originally Published:20080501.

Nearly 20 percent of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans suffer symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or major depression, according to an independent study released April 17.

As many or more have possible brain injuries from explosion or other head wounds, said the study, the first major survey from outside the military.

Military officials said the report by the RAND Corporation, "The Invisible Wounds of War," helps clarify mental health hurdles the Defense Department is seeking to overcome.

"We're on a journey, and we've come a long way, ... but we've got a long way to go," said Col. Loree Sutton, chief of the newly created Defense Center of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury. "That's why we're so thankful to teams like the RAND team that have stepped up and helped us better understand our challenges."

Sutton called it "heartening" that the RAND report's conclusions are "very consistent" with previous studies by the Army's Mental Health Advisory Team and other published results.

RAND found that only about half of those reporting symptoms actually seek treatment.

For those who do seek help, only about half receive treatment that researchers consider "minimally adequate," the report stated.

"Clearly, that's a finding that concerns us," Sutton said.

One reason many troops avoid psychological treatment, the RAND report says, is because they fear it will harm their careers.

More funding for PTSD and traumatic brain injury research and treatment is a continuing NGAUS legislative priority.

Previous studies have indicated that reserve-component personnel are more likely to report mental health symptoms than their active-component counterpart.

But they are less likely to have access to treatment, especially those residing in rural locations.

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Last updated: 06/26/2008 - 12:02 PM