Health Issues Commonly Seen in Iraq and Afghanistan War Vets

Health Issues Commonly Seen in Iraq and Afghanistan War Vets PTSD PTSD and the Military Print Health Issues Commonly Seen in Iraq and Afghanistan War Veterans By Matthew Tull, PhD twitter Matthew Tull, PhD is a professor of psychology at the University of Toledo, specializing in post-traumatic stress disorder. Learn about our editorial policy Matthew Tull, PhD Updated on February 07, 2020 Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Overview Symptoms & Diagnosis Causes & Risk Factors Treatment Living With In Children asiseeit / Getty Images Soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan are showing high rates of PTSD, alcohol use, depression and difficulties with anger. The physical health of veterans has also been found to suffer. The experience of a traumatic event has been connected with a number of physical health problems as well as unhealthy behaviors, such as smoking. Obviously, being deployed in a war zone, such as Iraq or Afghanistan, increases the likelihood that a person will experience a traumatic event and thus be at a greater risk for developing PTSD and potential physical health problems. Soldiers deployed to a war zone, however, also face additional risk factors for physical health problems, including sustaining a physical injury and being exposed to environmental contaminants (dangerous chemicals). Therefore, a study by researchers at the Seattle VA Hospital examined what factors (the experience of PTSD symptoms, physical injury, exposure to environmental contaminants) may be connected to physical health problems among Iraq and Afghanistan War veterans. Research on the Health of Iraq and Afghanistan War Veterans The researchers had 108 veterans returning from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, who were seeking treatment at a post-deployment clinic, complete surveys that asked questions about exposure to traumatic events while in Iraq or Afghanistan, as well as questions about their physical health and whether or not they were experiencing symptoms of PTSD. The soldiers, on average, had high levels of combat exposure. Almost 40% were physically injured during their deployment and approximately 11% had an injury due to combat. In addition, the soldiers reported encountering an average of nine different types of chemical exposures, including diesel fuel, anthrax immunization, malaria immunization, and depleted uranium. Almost 40% met the criteria for PTSD. Soldiers reports of their general health were found to be linked to their level of combat exposure, chemical exposure, drinking, smoking and experience of PTSD symptoms. Out of all of the health symptoms studied, though, PTSD symptoms seemed to have the strongest connection to combat exposure; that is, the more severe a soldiers PTSD symptoms, the worse their general health was. What the Study Findings Mean for Veterans The findings from this study are important as they show that our returning soldiers may face many challenges besides readjustment. High levels of combat exposure, drinking, smoking, chemical exposure, and PTSD were found in this group of soldiers â€" all of which (especially PTSD) were connected to worse general physical health. If you are a returning service member in need of mental health services, it is important to go to your local VA for help. The National Center for PTSD provides information on what steps you can take to get help. You can also get help through other resources, such as the Anxiety Disorder Association of America and UCompare Healthcare service.