Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-ndw9j Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-15T04:53:24.262Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Veteran and military mental health: the Australian experience

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

David Forbes  and
Olivia Metcalf
David Forbes
Affiliation:
Australian Centre for Posttraumatic Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Australia, email dforbes@unimelb.edu.au
Olivia Metcalf
Affiliation:
Australian Centre for Posttraumatic Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Australia
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

Australia has deployed over 25 000 personnel to recent conflicts in the Middle East and has been involved in peacekeeping missions. Australian veterans report elevated rates of mental health problems such as post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety disorders, affective disorders and substance use disorders. Veteran healthcare is delivered through publicly funded services, as well as through private services, at primary, secondary and tertiary levels. Some of the challenges involve coordination of services for veterans transitioning from Defence to Veterans' Affairs, service delivery across a large continent and stigma inhibiting service-seeking. Initiatives have been introduced in screening and delivery of evidence-based treatments. While challenges remain, Australia has come a long way towards an integrated and comprehensive approach to veteran mental healthcare.

Type
Thematic papers
Information
International Psychiatry , Volume 11 , Issue 4 , November 2014 , pp. 83 - 85
Creative Commons
Creative Common License - CCCreative Common License - BYCreative Common License - NCCreative Common License - ND
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives licence (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/), which permits noncommercial re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is unaltered and is properly cited. The written permission of Cambridge University Press must be obtained for commercial re-use or in order to create a derivative work.
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists 2014

References

Cohn, A., Hodson, S. & Crane, M. (2010) Resilience training in the Australian defence force. InPsych: The Bulletin of the Australian Psychological Society Ltd, 32, 16.Google Scholar
Department of Veterans' Affairs (2013a) Annual Report 2012–13. DVA.Google Scholar
Department of Veterans' Affairs (2013b) The relationship between DVA and Defence. At http://www.dva.gov.au/aboutDVA/publications/corporate/annualreport/2012-13/overview/Pages/defence.aspx (accessed 18 July 2014).Google Scholar
Forbes, D., Lewis, V., Parslow, R., et al (2008) Naturalistic comparison of models of programmatic interventions for combat-related post-traumatic stress disorder. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 42, 1051–1059.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Forbes, D., Lloyd, D., Nixon, R., et al (2012) A multisite randomized controlled effectiveness trial of cognitive processing therapy for military-related posttraumatic stress disorder. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 26, 442–452.Google Scholar
Hawthorne, G., Korn, S. & Creamer, M. (2014) Australian Peacekeepers: Long-Term Mental Health Status, Health Service Use and Quality of Life. Technical Report, Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne.Google Scholar
Ikin, J. F., Sim, M. R., Creamer, M. C., et al (2004) War-related psychological stressors and risk of psychological disorders in Australian veterans of the 1991 Gulf War. British Journal of Psychiatry, 185, 116–126.Google Scholar
Ikin, J. F., Sim, M. R., McKenzie, D. P., et al (2009) Life satisfaction and quality in Korean War veterans five decades after the war. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, 63, 359–365.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
McFarlane, A. C., Hodson, S. E., Van Hooff, M., et al (2011) Mental Health in the Australian Defence Force: 2010 ADF Mental Health and Wellbeing Study: Full Report. Department of Defence.Google Scholar
O'Toole, B. I., Catts, S. V., Outram, S., et al (2009) The physical and mental health of Australian Vietnam veterans 3 decades after the war and its relation to military service, combat, and post-traumatic stress disorder. American Journal of Epidemiology, 170, 318–330.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Stanley, P. (2002) The Anzac spirit. At http://www.awm.gov.au/encyclopedia/anzac/spirit (accessed 18 July 2014).Google Scholar
Submit a response

eLetters

No eLetters have been published for this article.