Health Status of Vietnam Veterans. Volume 4. Phychological and Neuropsychological Evaluation

摘要

The purpose of the medical and psychological examination was to objectively evaluate the current health status of Vietnam veterans. The psychological examinations of the Vietnam Experience Study (VES) were designed to evaluate (1) the prevalence of psychiatric conditions, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, generalized anxiety, depression, drug abuse or dependence, and alcohol abuse or dependence, that might be related to service in Vietnam; (2) current psychological functioning; and (3) aspects of neuropsychological functioning, such as memory, that might have been directly or indirectly affected by service in Vietnam. The examinations also screened for other symptoms or conditions that have not been the focus of previous research. The intent was to assess the overall impact of the Vietnam experience on a broad cross-section of men who served there compared with a group of veterans with similar characteristics who served in other countries. For some conditions, secondary analyses were done to evaluate the effect of Vietnam service within subgroups of veterans (e.g., draftees versus volunteers) and to assess whether effects are more closely associated with certain aspects of the Vietnam experience, such as combat exposure.