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Broader mental health issues in military and veteran populations

ACPMH undertakes research about broader mental health issues in military and veteran populations beyond those related to traumaand our main activities are described below.

Monitoring outcomes of VVCS - Veterans and Veteran's Families Counselling Service group programs

Information about how people respond to VVCS group programs is used by DVA to review the content of programs and look for ways that good practice can be adopted nationally.

In addition to monitoring to support accredited PTSD programs, ACPMH supports the work of VVCS by monitoring participant outcomes from broader mental health focused group programs conducted by or on behalf of VVCS. The programs that are part of this external data collection and analysis process include Lifestyle, Health and Wellbeing, and Anger Management Programs. This standardised monitoring program allows ACPMH to provide timely information for the group facilitators and to support VVCS in providing high quality treatment group programs.

This information also further supports the policy advice we provide to DVA and ADF. Data is collected from participants in the group programs at or prior to commencement and six months after completion. Program facilitators consider this analysis of intake data and feedback about the participants when tailoring program content and/or delivery to each specific group.

Broader mental health issues in military and veteran populations: other studies

Profiling younger veteran clients of VVCS

This study of VVCS clients aged 50 years and under was commissioned by DVA following anecdotal reports from counselling staff that there was a changing demographic of their client base. Staff were concerned that there may be different issues requiring a different response to this group. The study undertook a systematic profile of VVCS’ post-Vietnam era veteran clientele in terms of their demographics, service-related factors, their mental health and other problems, and their satisfaction with VVCS services.

The study findings indicated the young client group report levels of anxiety, depression and PTSD symptoms substantially higher than those found in the general population but similar to the older veteran population. The findings also indicated that sons and daughters of veterans have a similar clinical profile to other clients. Rates of childhood trauma in this sample were within the range found in the general population. As a group, the younger veterans appeared to have less social support and relationships with partners seemed to be particularly problematic.The report provided recommendations to VVCS about how to effectively address younger clients’ problems.

War stressors, mental health and wellbeing outcomes in Australian veterans and service personnel

This thesis describes the investigation of mental health and wellbeing, and associated war-related predictors, in Australia’s surviving veterans of the 1950-53 Korean War and the 1990-91 Gulf War. Affective, anxiety, somatic and substance use disorders using DSM-IV criteria were investigated in 1808 Gulf War veterans and a comparison group of 2796 subjects who were operational ADF members at the time of the Gulf War. The veterans were at greater risk of developing post-Gulf anxiety disorders, including post-traumatic stress disorder, and also greater risk of developing affective disorders and substance use disorders. There was a strong dose-response relationship between psychological disorders and number of reported Gulf-War related stressors. Current psychological health, quality of life, life satisfaction and war-related predictors were investigated in 7525 male Korean War veterans and a comparison group of 2964 similarly aged Australian men. Five decades after the war, surviving Australian Korean War veterans are experiencing significant excesses in PTSD, anxiety and depression, and also reduced life satisfaction and poor quality of life. Korean War service-related combat exposure, and low rank, are very strongly associated with poorer psychological health including comorbid PTSD and depression, reduced life satisfaction and poor quality of life in Korean War veterans. The results of this research are important in identifying current and projected levels of service provision required by Australian veterans, in identifying those veterans of more recent conflicts who may be at greatest risk of adverse mental health outcomes, and in developing appropriate strategies to prevent or reduce long-term ill-health in these groups. This research is being conducted by Jill Ikin (PhD Candidate, Monash University).