Millennium Cohort Study

INTRODUCTION: How many people have a Veteran in their family or know one? If yes do you help them or is it someone else’s problem. Well many people think it’s someone else problem, but the truth is it’s our problem.

Bennett, PhD; Hilary J. Liberty, Ph 2013 107). Prior research has evaluated the prevalence of MH concerns and opportunities for treatment at various points in the military/veteran career including post deployment, among those being treated at Veterans Affairs (VA) facilities, and in the general population) (Andrew Golub, PhD; Peter Vazan, PhD; Alexander S. Bennett, PhD; Hilary J. Liberty, Ph 2013 107). The National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) data indicate that a substantial portion of young veterans in the general population have substance use disorder (18%) or Serious Psychological Distress (SPD) (14%) (Andrew Golub, PhD; Peter Vazan, PhD; Alexander S. Bennett, PhD; Hilary J. Liberty, Ph 2013 111). All in all, the NSDUH proved to be an extremely valuable resource for this study, and indeed, the results of this analysis for unmet treatment needs have identified important directions for further research into reasons for not getting treatment, especially for SPD (Andrew Golub, PhD; Peter Vazan, PhD; Alexander S. Bennett, PhD; Hilary J. Liberty, Ph 2013 113). The Veterans Administration and National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) are taking steps in the right direction to help our veterans with their unmet needs with substance abuse and PTSD. Some examples of improvements are, better mental health evaluations before leaving active duty, more information about military service, and tracking trends among veterans in the general population, who are not necessarily in contact with the

Rates of trauma and mental illness are reported to be disproportionately higher among American veterans, especially those of the recent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The barriers to care after civilian reentry further disadvantage this already vulnerable population. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have been the longest sustained US military operations since the Vietnam era, sending more than 2.2 million troops into battle and resulting in more than 6,600 deaths and 48,000 injuries. Veterans are at risk mental health challenges, as well as family instability, elevated rates of homelessness, and joblessness. Veterans have disproportionate rates of mental illness, particularly posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), substance abuse disorders, depression, anxiety, and military sexual trauma.

The mean age for the participants in the study was 45. The study also took in account the time of service from the veterans, 60% served in the 1970's, 18% in the 1960's, and 18% in the 1980's (Carlson, Gavert, Macia, Ruzek, & Burling, 2013). The study includes veterans that suffer from personality disorders as well as alcohol abuse. Participants within the study are a mixture of races and come from various backgrounds. Included in demographic questions is if the veteran is divorced or married, which may also be a factor in this study. Additionally military branch information and associated was

Veterans have a heightened need for medical and mental healthcare compared to the general population, and rural veterans have proven be in significantly more need of such care (Weeks, et

Today the aging population faces many challenges, such as the effects it has on physical, psychological, and social functioning in late life. Aging veterans not only face these challenges, but they also face unique challenges because of their military experience. One unique challenge that they face, is exposure to military trauma which among aging veterans is approximately 85% (U.S Department of Veterans Affairs). This specific trauma faced by military veterans can impact physical, mental, and sociological function. According to Research on Aging Military Veterans, “Combat exposure can lead to poorer health-related and psychosocial quality of life in later years”.

America has failed in providing quality physical and mental health care for veterans who do not have the money or the insurance to pay for it themselves. This paper will attempt to uncover approximately how many veterans actually fall through the cracks by asking simple questions; how many are homeless, how many report having PTSD, how many have a substance abuse disorder, how many end up in divorce because of domestic violence?

According to the National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics (2014), there are currently an estimated 19.4 million veterans, of which 1.6 million are women. Eight percent of the US population has served in the US military and 33% of the US population is directly related to someone who has served (Meyer, Writer, & Brim, 2016). Many returning service members face complex mental and behavioral health challenges in readjusting to life after deployment (American Psychological Association [APA], 2016a). Data indicate that one-third of returning Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) service members have reported symptoms of mental-health or cognitive problems (APA, 2016a). This includes concerns of suicidal ideation, posttraumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, military sexual trauma, adjustment disorders, substance use disorders, depression, and anxiety disorders, among others. As OEF and OIF deployed service members continue to return home with high rates of mental health disorders, there are concerns regarding the availability and adequacy of mental health

In the study, 787 smokers in Massachusetts were tracked after they quit smoking for five years. During that time, they answered three surveys about their smoking use. With each survey, an

Risk factors for relapse to problem drinking among current and former US military personnel (Williams, Jacobson, Maynard, Frasco) Background: Military service members may be prone to relapse to problem drinking after remission, given a culture of alcohol use as a coping mechanism for stressful or traumatic events associated with military duties or exposures. However, the prevalence and correlates of relapse are unknown. We sought to identify socio-demographic, military, behavioral, and health characteristics associated with relapse among current and former military members with remittent problem drinking,Methods: Participants in the longitudinal Millennium Cohort Study who reported problem drinking at baseline (2001–2003) and were remittent

Smoking rates are particularly high among patients diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a mental health condition triggered by a traumatic event (Hawkins & Cougle, 2013). Most research on the relationship between PTSD diagnoses and smoking rates usually consider the disorder to be uniform in nature with a comprehensive symptom diagnosis. On the contrary, the disorder involves a multi-dimensional compilation of cognitive and behavioral manifestations (Greenberg et al., 2012). The inappropriate diagnostic generalization has hindered the examination of specific symptoms that could be

This study aims to examine a very specific subset of a wider population, that wider population being military veterans. Within that wider population, this study plans on testing males in combat oriented occupations but who have not experienced major combat trauma yet. The reason for this is the because the military is already made up of primarily men and the experience that women have in the military varies too greatly to be included in the same study. Furthermore, it wasn’t until very recently (2015) that women in the United States Army could enlist in combat

For over 50 years, the Surgeon General has been warning about the dangers of tobacco use and smoking. The most recent report, The Health Consequences of Smoking—50 Years of Progress: A Report of the Surgeon General, offers information and statistics related to the monetary costs and physical dangers of smoking. Although the number of people who smoke has declined, if the current rates remain the same, nearly 6 million Americans who are alive today and under the age of 18 will die prematurely from a disease related to smoking. Additionally, half of the people today who continue to smoke will die prematurely due to a smoking-related condition.

Although cigarette companies back millions of dollars, they also have millions of people who actually agree with them being legal. Some say that cigarettes help better smokers’ moods. This way people in the military can have less anxiety and keep doing their job. For example, my dad tells me that getting up early in the morning is always frustrating, because he is not a morning person. In his opinion, smoking keeps him relaxed for upcoming events such as being called to go on leave. He also says he typically doesn’t like to deal with a lot of people. However, in the military, communication is very common and it’s hard to be antisocial. To wrap up his conclusion, he basically smokes to keep his nerves under control. Granted, no one wants to have mood swings, or to walk around frustrated all day.

Smoking has broad consequences for the US military, including adverse effects on the readiness of its forces, the health and welfare of its beneficiaries, and the costs incurred from health care and lost productivity. It affects military readiness by impairing physical performance and endurance, vigilance and cognitive function, risk of motor vehicle collisions and other unintentional injuries, and increasing work absenteeism.1 The effects of tobacco on the health and welfare of military beneficiaries include not only long-term consequences such as cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, and cancer, but also short-term effects such as respiratory effects, impaired wound healing, periodontal disease, and peptic ulcer disease.2 Tobacco use accounts for one-sixth of the deaths which occur among DoD beneficiaries, primarily among retirees.3 The estimated costs resulting from tobacco use to the DoD exceed $1 billion per year.3,4