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Mental Disorders Huge Issue for US Troops

Posted Apr 17, 08 3:40 PM CDT in US 

(Newser) – 300,000 veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars have either post-traumatic stress disorder or major depression, and another 320,000 suffered brain injuries, the AP reports. RAND Corporation, in the first private evaluation of mental injury from the conflicts, found 18.5% of combat troops suffered from major depression or PTSD. "There is a major health crisis facing those who have served," said a researcher.

  • Only 53% of service members with PTSD or depression had sought treatment in the past year.
  • Only 43% reported of those with possible brain injuries reported being examined by a physician.
  • 7% of the troops reported both a probable brain injury and either PTSD or major depression.

Source Associated Press

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Chris Ayres, left, stands in the doorway of his League City, Texas home, Monday, Oct. 15, 2007. Behind him are his wife Renee and daughter Sarah.   (AP Photo/Pat Sullivan)
Service medals worn by Command Sgt. Maj. David L. Allard are displayed on his uniform Monday Jan. 28, 2008 at Blanchfield Army Community Hospital, Fort Campbell, Ky. as part of his recovery program in...   (AP Photo/Christopher Berkey)
Bryan Malone, 22, an Army specialist from Haughton, La., is among the US troops exposed to traumatic stress disorders due to combat overseas.   (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
Retired Marine Maj. Gamal Awad poses at his home in Temecula, Calif., Sept. 5, 2007. Awad suffers from post traumatic stress disorder which followed his rescue work on Sept. 11, 2001, at the Pentagon....   (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)
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Iraq war  • health care  • Afghanistan war  • PTSD  • Iraq veterans  • traumatic brain injury  • brain injuries


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