A higher percentage of those soldiers returning from Iraq report mental health concerns and use mental health services when they get home ... compared to soldiers who are returning from deployment to Afghanistan or other locations. |
Just about everybody who is deployed to Iraq is affected in some way. |
The findings have important implications for estimating the level of mental health services that may be needed. |
The hope is we won't have as high rates of mental-health consequences as we've seen in prior wars. |
The most important finding is that a large number of soldiers and Marines are using mental health services very soon after they get home. |
There is no front line in Iraq. |
There is no front line in Iraq. Individuals who are patrolling the streets will be at higher risk of being involved in combat, but folks who are largely located at one base are also targets of mortar and artillery, and everyone in convoys is a target. |
Those coming back from Iraq do have a greater need for mental health services. And we're pretty sure that's due to higher frequency and intensity of combat experiences in Iraq. |
War is associated with a range of mental health and psychosocial problems including mental disorders but also unemployment and family-related problems and divorce and alcohol and substance abuse. |
We know that earlier treatment of mental health problems is the best way to prevent the long-term consequences that we've seen from past wars. |