Improving The Delivery Of Cross Departmental Support And

0,68
MB Services For Veterans

189
stron

3841
ID King’s College

2003
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List of contents

List of contributors.i

List of contents.. ii

List of tablesvi

List of figures ..vi

Executive Summary .. vii

1 Introduction.. 1

1.1 Aims 1

1.2 Objectives . 2

2 Analytic strategy and methodology.. 5

3 Policy context and strategic questions . 7

3.1 The Policy context in international perspective 7

3.2 Strategic approaches to veterans issues. 8

3.3 Strategic questions confronting veterans’ policy: . 12

3.4 Definitions advantages and disadvantages:.. 14

3.5 Why care for veterans? 16

3.6 What should veterans get?. 17

3.7 How to develop strategic change in partnership with veterans: a question of trust. 18

3.8 Working for the future? .. 18

3.9 Approaches to veterans issues: the international dimension 19

3.9.1 National culture and approaches to veterans .. 19

3.9.2 Veterans policy, research and analysis: based in or outside MoD? .. 22

3.9.3 Monitoring and caring for troops . 23

4 A Systematic UK literature review on outcome for veterans . 31

4.1 Method 31

4.2 Introduction.. 31

4.3 Mental Health.. 32

4.3.1 World War Two 32

4.3.2 The Korean War 32

4.3.3 The Falklands War .. 32

4.3.4 Persian Gulf War .. 33

4.3.5 UK Peacekeepers.. 35

4.4 Tours of duty in Northern Ireland . 35

4.5 Mortality/Suicide 36

4.6 Alcohol 37

4.7 Crime 38

4.8 Homelessness .. 38

4.9 The Transition Process 41

4.10 Employment . 42

4.11 Conclusion. 42

5 Overview of world literature on veterans: mental health and social outcomes 45

5.1 Introduction .. 45

5.2 Method 45

5.3 Combat related psychiatric injury. 46

5.3.1 US studies: Second World War: long term outcomes 46

5.3.2 Vietnam veterans .. 50

5.3.3 Comparison studies . 56

5.3.4 Gulf war veterans: initial follow-up 58

5.3.5 Gulf war veterans: Later follow-up . 59

5.3.6 Israeli Veterans .. 61

5.4 General outcomes: non-combat related .. 64

5.4.1 European Veterans .. 64

5.4.2 Peace Keeping Operations .. 65

5.4.3 Other psychiatric outcomes of serving.. 67

5.4.4 Delayed PTSD: does it exist?. 67

5.4.5 Chronicity of post-combat symptoms/syndromes 69

5.4.6 Health Outcomes for Female Veterans . 70

5.4.7 Mental Health Outcomes for Special Groups 71

5.4.8 Attrition. 71

5.4.9 Transition . 72

5.4.10 Suicide: Introduction.. 72

5.4.11 Suicide rates in Nordic countries . 73

5.4.12 Suicide: Canada . 74

5.4.12 Suicide: US .. 74

5.4.13 Suicide: Italy .. 75

5.4.14 Alcohol and Drug use: US .. 76

5.4.15 Alcohol and Drug use: Norway. 77

5.4.16 Homelessness: US 78

5.4.17 Homelessness: Australia .. 80

5.4.18 Crime and Prison: US . 80

5.4.19 Family life: Context 82

5.4.20 The family dynamic and children. 83

5.4.21 Service Wives. 85

5.4.22 Marital Relationship 86

5.4.23 War and Service Widows . 87

5.4.24 Employment and Education: World War Two Germany. 87

5.4.25 Employment and Education: World War Two US.. 88

5.4.26 Employment and Education: World War Two Japan. 89

5.4.27 Influence of psychiatric injury on occupational attainment 89

5.4.28 Military service: benefits and influence on the life course . 90

6 Stakeholders views .. 93

6.1 Stakeholder interviews 93

6.2 The ‘dependency culture’ .. 94

6.3 Alcohol use 94

6.4 Civilian- military understanding . 95

6.5 Modern day veterans 95

6.6 Veterans’ perceptions of themselves 96

6.7 Medical problems .. 96

6.8 Number of veterans organisations . 96

7 In-depth qualitative veteran interviews. 97

7.1 Introduction.. 97

7.2 Identity issues .. 97

7.3 Positive attitudes and a concern about resettlement. 98

7.4 The Second World War generation.. 99

7.5 Problems for personnel discharged for medical reasons . 100

7.6 Housing, employment and related problems. 100

7.7 Wives of service personnel in employment .. 101

7.8 Veterans and veterans’ organisations 102

8 Data from existing KCL Military Cohort: a study of leavers . 103

8.1 Introduction 103

8.2 Method . 105

8.2.1 Initial survey (phase 1) .. 105

8.2.2 Follow-up 2001 (phase 3) 105

8.2.3 Measures (Phase 1 and 3) . 106

8.3 Design 106

8.4 Statistical analysis .. 107

8.5 Results .. 109

8.6 Characteristics of leavers at phase 1 . 109

8.7 Predictors of leaving.. 109

8.8 Associations and predictors of employment . 110

8.9 What happens to symptoms after leaving?. 110

8.10 Discussion .. 111

8.11 Limitations of study .. 112

9 Telephone follow- up survey of ‘at risk veterans’ . 113

9.1 Introduction 113

9.2 Areas of enquiry:. 115

9.3 Qualitative data 116

9.4 Materials and Methods. 116

9.5 Population and sample . 116

9.5 Methods 117

9.6 Measures used .. 118

9.7 Statistical Treatment of Results 118

9.8 Emerging Findings . 119

10 Conclusion I Next steps: interim suggestions for policy.. 129

10.1 The Veterans Agency 129

10.2 The 'Dependency Culture' .. 130

10.3 Resettlement .. 131

10.4 Targeting at Transition. 132

10.5 Public Relations 133

10.6 Mental Health 133

10.7 Cross-Departmental Education 134

10.8 Local Authorities and Veterans 134

10.9 Housing 135

10.10 Communication with Veterans 135

11 Conclusion II Researchable questions 137

11.1 Introduction 137

11.2 Research and policy .. 137

11.3 The architecture of research.. 138

11.4 Why is there so little to go on? . 140

11.5 A research agenda for veterans 141

11.5.1 A life course approach 141

11.5.2 Related questions .. 144

11.5.3 Sub groups 145

11.6 Screening. 145

11.7 Improving outcomes.. 146

11.8 Mental health treatment 148