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MORE WAR VETERANS SUFFERING FROM STRESS AND
WAITING
FOR HELP -- Veterans have had to deal with long
waits for doctor
appointments, staffing shortages and lack of
equipment at the VA.
Story here...
http://timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?
storyID=519438&category=&BCCode=&newsdate=9/22/2006
Story below:
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More war veterans suffering from stress
By LOLITA C. BALDOR, Associated Press
WASHINGTON -- More than one-third of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans
seeking medical treatment from the Veterans Health Administration report
symptoms of stress or other mental disorders -- a tenfold increase in
the last 18 months, according to an agency study.
The dramatic jump in cases -- coming as more troops face multiple tours
in Iraq and Afghanistan -- has triggered concern among some veterans
groups that the agency may not be able to meet the demand. They say
veterans have had to deal with long waits for doctor appointments,
staffing shortages and lack of equipment at medical centers run by the
Veterans Affairs Department.
Contributing to the higher levels of stress are the long and often
repeated tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. In Iraq, troops also face
unpredictable daily attacks and roadside bombings as they battle the
stubborn insurgency.
Veterans and Defense Department officials said the increase in soldiers
complaining of stress or mental disorder symptoms also may suggest that
efforts to reduce the stigma of such problems are working and that
commanders and medical personnel are more adept at recognizing symptoms.
"It's definitely better than it was in past generations," said Paul
Rieckhoff, executive director of the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of
America.
Veterans Affairs officials say they have increased funding for mental
health services, have hired at least 100 more counselors and are not
overwhelmed by the rising demands.
"We're not aware that people are having trouble getting services from us
in any consistent way or pattern around the country," said Dr. Michael
Kussman, acting undersecretary for health and top doctor at the VA.
Nearly 64,000 of the more than 184,000 Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans
who have sought VA health care were diagnosed with potential symptoms of
post-traumatic stress, drug abuse or other mental disorders as of the
end of June, according to the latest report by the Veterans Health
Administration.
Of those, close to 30,000 had possible post-traumatic stress disorder,
said the report.
The Government Accountability Office reported in February 2005 that just
6,400 Iraq and Afghanistan veterans had been treated for stress
disorders. The office is an investigative agency of Congress.
Kussman said the numbers of people reporting symptoms of stress probably
represent a "gross overestimation" of those actually suffering from a
mental health disorder. Most of the troops who return from Iraq have
"normal reactions to abnormal situations," such as flashbacks or trouble
sleeping, Kussman said.
He said the returning Iraq and Afghanistan veterans represent just 3.5
percent of the more than 5 million people seen by the VA each year.
The VA, he said, has targeted $300 million for post-traumatic stress
disorders for 2005-06, and is seeking another $300 million for 2007.
VA facilities largely serve veterans who have ended their military
service, but some National Guard and Reserve members returning from the
war are using VA facilities because they are closer to their homes.
While veterans groups don't have data on the number of veterans
encountering problems with the VA, they said veterans are reporting long
delays for appointments at the agency's medical centers.
"If they're going to keep recruiting anywhere near where they need to
be, they'd better take care of the young vets, because everyone is
watching," Rieckhoff said.
One soldier in Virginia Beach, Va., said he was having a hard time
sleeping after he returned from Iraq, and was told he'd have to wait
two-and-a-half months for an appointment at the VA facility, said
Rieckhoff.
Rieckhoff said the Buffalo, N.Y., veterans medical center gave his
organization a "wish list" of needed supplies and other expenses,
including wheelchairs, rehabilitation equipment and medical monitors.
"If the VA is going to see 30 percent of the 1.5 million U.S. service
members who have deployed to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the VA
may expect a total of 450,000 veteran patients from these two wars,"
said Paul Sullivan, director of programs for the Vietnam Veterans of
America Foundation. "This is a very ominous trend, indicating a tidal
wave of new patients coming in, and the numbers could go up."
The Defense Department has made mental health assessments and education
programs mandatory for active-duty service members returning from the
war. There are several dozen combat stress teams working with military
units to prevent and identify stress or other mental health issues.
The department has also put a self-assessment screening on the Internet
so military members can evaluate their symptoms.
Dr. Joyce Adkins, the Pentagon's director of stress management programs,
said there has been a slight increase in the number of service members
reporting mental health problems or symptoms.
"We've done a lot of education for service members at multiple times, to
help them understand ... the common problems associated with deployment,
the symptoms they might experience and what that might mean," she said.
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On the Net:
Defense Department:
http://www.defenselink.mil
Military Mental Health Self Assessment Program:
https://http://www.militarymentalhealth.org/
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Larry Scott
