title: Why are Iraq and Afghanistan War veterans seeking PTSD disability compensation at unprecedented rates?
abstract: The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have produced historically low rates of fatalities, injuries, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among U.S. combatants. Yet they have also produced historically unprecedented rates of PTSD disability compensation seeking from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The purpose of this article is to consider hypotheses that might potentially resolve this paradox, including high rates of PTSD, delayed onset PTSD, malingered PTSD, and economic variables.
authors: Department of Psychology, Harvard University, William James Hall, 33 Kirkland Street, Cambridge, MA 2138, USA. rjm@wjh.harvard.edu
authors: Richard J
authors: RJ
authors: McNally
authors: B Christopher
authors: BC
authors: Frueh
mesh_terms: D055826:Afghan Campaign 2001-; D035881:Compensation and Redress; D006801:Humans; D054542:Iraq War, 2003-2011; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States; D014728:Veterans; D014937:Work
keywords: Disability compensation; Malingering; PTSD; Veterans