Military veterans have rated their health as their top concern after leaving service, and most are more dissatisfied with their health than their work or relationships, according to Veterans Affairs researchers.
Researchers from the VA National Center for PTSD studied almost 10,000 veterans who all left service in the fall of 2016, the results of which will appear in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine this month. The veterans were first surveyed three months after leaving and again at nine months. At both times, more than half of the veterans reported having chronic physical health conditions, and about a third reported chronic mental health conditions.
Dr. Dawne Vogt of the VA Boston Healthcare System and Boston University, the study's lead author, told EurekAlert on Thursday the research shows how important it is to care for veterans' health early.
"What remains to be seen is whether those veterans with health conditions — which were more commonly experienced by deployed veterans — continue to maintain high levels of well-being in other life domains over time," she said. "Given that it is well-established that health problems can erode functioning in other life domains, it may be that these individuals experience declines in their broader well-being over time."
Although many veterans reported health concerns, most said they were satisfied with their work and social relationships, which Vogt said, "highlights the resilience of the veteran population, and should provide some reassurance to those concerned about the well-being of newly separated veterans."
Theodore Bunker ✉
Theodore Bunker, a Newsmax writer, has more than a decade covering news, media, and politics.
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