The RAND Corporation
recently published a report entitled “Invisible Wounds of War:
Psychological and Cognitive Injuries, Their Consequences, and Services to
Assist Recovery.” RAND describes the
study as being focused “on post-traumatic stress disorder, major depression,
and traumatic brain injury, not only because of current high-level policy
interest but also because, unlike the physical wounds of war, these conditions
are often invisible to the eye, remaining invisible to other servicemembers,
family members, and society in general. All three conditions affect mood,
thoughts, and behavior; yet these wounds often go unrecognized and
unacknowledged. The effect of traumatic brain injury is still poorly
understood, leaving a large gap in knowledge related to how extensive the problem
is or how to address it” (“Document Information”).
MSNBC summarizes the findings of the report in its article “Mental
Health Injuries Scar 300,000 U.S. Troops.” RAND researchers surveyed 1,965 service
members, including both veterans and those still on active duty. The study found that about 300,000 troops have
depression or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a result of serving in
Afghanistan or Iraq. About 320,000 troops have possible traumatic brain
injuries (TBIs). Yet, only 53 percent of troops with depression or PTSD sought
out help within the last year, and only 43 percent of troops with TBIs have
been to a doctor for a medical evaluation of their condition. “They gave
various reasons for not getting help, including that they worried about the
side effects of medication; believe family and friends could help them with the
problem; or that they feared seeking care might damage their careers” (“Mental
Health”).
You can read the whole article here.
What do you think about the results of this study? What
should be done (by troops, Veterans Affairs, the Department of Defense, etc.) to
ensure that these troops are getting the help that they need in dealing with
their medical issues?
