One in five Iraq vets has hidden combat wounds

April 29, 2008

New surveys count psychological toll on returning veterans — and treatment shortfall

Echoing recent results from a survey by the U.S. Army, a new report from the RAND Center for Military Health Policy Research finds that one in five veterans returning from Iraq or Afghanistan suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, major depression, traumatic brain injury, or a
combination of these conditions.

Only about half seek treatment (fearing stigma), and only half of those get “minimally adequate”
care, according to RAND. (Many prefer to get their medical care “on the economy”.)

The Department of Veterans Affairs has set up a telephone hotline to prevent suicide among recent veterans.

A recent top-level review maintains that treatments for the mental health problems of returning veterans are not backed by solid research.

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Practical Articles/News
How have others been treating PTSD among new veterans?treating PSD among Iraq war veterans?

Clinical Trials
Two new clinical trials are testing exposure therapy for Iraq war veterans with PTSD.

Related searches

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Are you forgetting about memory loss?

April 1, 2008

Five million over age 70 have memory loss. One-fourth are chronically ill.

A groundbreaking nationwide longitudinal study has documented the dimensions of dementia. It estimates that 22% of Americans over age 70—more than five million people–have cognitive impairment without dementia.

On average, this progresses to dementia within about 18 months in about 12% of cases, according to the report in the Annals of Internal Medicine. (The rate of progression varies by subtype of cognitive impairment.)

In 24% of elderly patients, cognitive impairment without dementia is associated with a chronic comorbidity such as diabetes or heart disease. The report notes that doctors busy with the medical condition probably often overlook the cognitive issues (perhaps hindering the success of treatment).

The new national results echo earlier studies that associated early dementia with medical comorbidities.

A series of articles and letters in recent issues of the Journal of the American Medical Association pondered whether primary care doctors should begin screening for cognitive impairment in elderly patients.

Practice Guidelines
Look in this category for national guidelines on diagnosing mild cognitive impairment.

Cardiovascular
A recent study suggests best followup tests for cognitive impairment in stroke patients.

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