http://vawatchdog.org/07/nf07/nfJUN07/nf060507-3.htmSTUDY: 55% OF RETURNING TROOPS HAVE MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES -- And concerned about potentially hazardous exposures including human waste, vaccinations, depleted uranium and smoke from burning trash.
Newswise — Veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan have a wide range of health concerns, including a 55 percent prevalence of mental health issues, reports a study in the May Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, official publication of the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM).
Dr. Drew A. Helmer and colleagues analyzed the health concerns of 56 veterans, 45 men and 11 women of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. Each veteran underwent a comprehensive health evaluation at the War-Related Illness and Injury Study Center, located at the VA New Jersey Health Care System in East Orange, N.J.
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The evaluations turned up many and varied issues, including an average of four physical health concerns per veteran. Musculoskeletal problems were the most common, followed by ear, nose, and throat (ENT) problems, and gastrointestinal issues. Reservists had more physical health concerns than active-duty personnel - 4.4 versus 3.1.
Fifty-five percent of the veterans had one or more mental health concerns, most commonly posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Reservists had a somewhat higher rate of PTSD than active-duty personnel—48.7 versus 35.3 percent—although the difference was not significant.
Concerns about potentially hazardous exposures were also common - an average of 2.7 per veteran. The most frequent concerns were exposure to smoke from burning trash and to human waste, vaccinations, and depleted uranium (used in munitions). Although few veterans had current health problems related to toxic exposures, they were concerned about the possibility of long-term effects.
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