Invisible wounds of war : psychological and cognitive injuries, their consequences, and services to assist recovery / Terri Tanielian and Lisa H. Jaycox, editors. - Santa Monica, CA : RAND Center for Military Health Policy Research, 2008. - 1 online resource (xliii, 453 pages) : illustrations. - Rand Corporation monograph series . - Rand Corporation monograph series. .

"A joint endeavor of Rand Health and the Rand National Security Research Division." "MG-720-CCF"--Page 4 of cover. "Sponsored by the California Community Foundation."

Includes bibliographical references.

The wars in Afghanistan and Iraq : an overview -- Prevalence of PTSD, depression, and TBI among returning servicemembers -- Survey of individuals previously deployed for OEF/OIF -- Predicting the immediate and long-term consequences of post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and traumatic brain injury in veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom -- The cost of post-deployment mental health and cognitive conditions -- Systems of care : challenges and opportunities to improve access to high-quality care -- Treating the invisible wounds of war : conclusions and recommendations.

Use copy

Since October 2001, approximately 1.64 million U.S. troops have been deployed for Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF) in Afghanistan and Iraq. Early evidence suggests that the psychological toll of these deployments -- many involving prolonged exposure to combat-related stress over multiple rotations -- may be disproportionately high compared with the physical injuries of combat. In the face of mounting public concern over post-deployment health care issues confronting OEF/OIF veterans, several task forces, independent review groups, and a Presidential Commission have been convened to examine the care of the war wounded and make recommendations. Concerns have been most recently centered on two combat-related injuries in particular: post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury. With the increasing incidence of suicide and suicide attempts among returning veterans, concern about depression is also on the rise. The study discussed in this monograph focuses 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. RAND conducted a comprehensive study of the post-deployment health-related needs associated with these three conditions among OEF/OIF veterans, the health care system in place to meet those needs, gaps in the care system, and the costs associated with these conditions and with providing quality health care to all those in need. This monograph presents the results of our study, which should be of interest to mental health treatment providers; health policymakers, particularly those charged with caring for our nation's veterans; and U.S. service men and women, their families, and the concerned public. All the research products from this study are available at http://veterans.rand.org. Data collection for this study began in April 2007and concluded in January 2008. Specific activities included a critical reviewof the extant literature on the prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder, major depression, and traumatic brain injury and their short- and long-term consequences; a population-based survey of service members and veterans who served in Afghanistan or Iraq to assess health status and symptoms, as well asutilization of and barriers to care; a review of existing programs to treat service members and veterans with the three conditions; focus groups withmilitary service members and their spouses; and the development of a microsimulation model to forecast the economic costs of these conditions overtime. Among our recommendations is that effective treatments documented in the scientific literature -- evidence-based care -- are available for PTSD and major depression. Delivery of such care to all veterans with PTSD or majordepression would pay for itself within two years, or even save money, by improving productivity and reducing medical and mortality costs. Such care may also be a cost-effective way to retain a ready and healthy military force for the future. However, to ensure that this care is delivered requires system-level changes across the Department of Defense, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the U.S. health care system.


Electronic reproduction.
[S.l.] :
HathiTrust Digital Library,
2010.


Master and use copy. Digital master created according to Benchmark for Faithful Digital Reproductions of Monographs and Serials, Version 1. Digital Library Federation, December 2002.
http://purl.oclc.org/DLF/benchrepro0212


English.

0833045296 1281736600 9780833045294 9781281736604

22573/ctt5g1c JSTOR

2008008840


Afghan War (2001- )
Iraq War (2003-2011)
War on Terrorism (2001-2009)


2001 - 2011


Afghan War, 2001---Psychological aspects.
Brain--Wounds and injuries--United States.
Depression, Mental--United States.
Iraq War, 2003-2011--Psychological aspects.
Post-traumatic stress disorder--United States.
Veterans--Mental health--United States.
War on Terrorism, 2001-2009--Psychological aspects.
War--Psychological aspects.
Anxiety Disorders.
Behavioral Disciplines and Activities.
Behavioral Sciences.
Brain Diseases.
Brain Injuries.
Central Nervous System Diseases.
Combat Disorders.
Craniocerebral Trauma.
Depressive Disorder.
Disease.
Mental Disorders.
Mood Disorders.
Named Groups.
Nervous System Diseases.
Persons.
Psychiatry and Psychology.
Psychology.
Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic.
Stress Disorders, Traumatic.
Trauma, Nervous System.
Veterans.
Wounds and Injuries.
Afghanistankrieg
Brain--Wounds and injuries.
BUSINESS & ECONOMICS--Human Resources & Personnel Management.
Depression, Mental.
Irakkrieg
MEDICAL--Health Policy.
Post-traumatic stress disorder.
Posttraumatisches Stresssyndrom
Psychological aspects.
Soldat
Veterans--Mental health.
War--Psychological aspects.
Combat Disorders.
Brain Injuries.
Depressive Disorder.
Iraq War, 2003.
Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic.
Veterans--psychology.


Iraq.
United States.
USA.

Afghanistan Brain damage Combat disorders Costs Counter terrorist measures Depression Health services Iraq War Mental health Overseas item Post traumatic stress disorder United States Veterans


Electronic book.
Electronic books.

RC552.P67 / T34 2008eb

362.196/85212

2008 I-104 WM 184 / I62 2008

MG-720-CCF