Evidence of poorer life-course mental health outcomes among veterans of the Korean War cohort

Aging Ment Health. 2010 Mar;14(2):177-83. doi: 10.1080/13607860903046560.

Abstract

Objective: Comparing the outcomes of veterans who served in Korea and those who served elsewhere, we examined the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), other mental health conditions, psychiatric treatment locations, and six mental health well-being measures.

Methods: The analytic sample consisted of nationally representative data from the 2001 National Survey of Veterans (NSV). Analyses included multiple logistic regressions that controlled for sociodemographic characteristics.

Results: Korean era veterans in the NSV (n = 4030): 1498 served in Korea; 2532 elsewhere during the era. Veterans who served in Korea have notably poorer mental health than those who served elsewhere.

Conclusion: These results suggest higher resource needs among aging Korean era veterans. Clinicians, policy makers and the Department of Veterans Affairs should focus on mental health services to older veterans.

MeSH terms

  • Age Factors
  • Aged
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Female
  • Hospitals, Veterans
  • Humans
  • Korea
  • Korean War*
  • Male
  • Mental Health*
  • Military Personnel / psychology
  • Outcome Assessment, Health Care
  • Socioeconomic Factors
  • Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / psychology
  • Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / therapy*
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Time Factors
  • Treatment Outcome
  • United States
  • United States Department of Veterans Affairs
  • Veterans / psychology*
  • Veterans / statistics & numerical data