Race and incarceration in an aging cohort of Vietnam veterans in treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Cross sectional studies have addressed the incarceration of Vietnam veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), but no studies have examined changes in incarceration as they age. This study examines patterns of incarceration among Vietnam veterans treated in specialized veterans affairs (VA) intensive PTSD programs over time. Data was drawn from admission data from the initial episode of treatment of Caucasian and African American Vietnam veterans entering VA specialized intensive PTSD programs between 1993 and 2011 (N = 31,707). Bivariate correlations and logistic regression were used to examine associations among race and incarceration over time and the potentially confounding influence of demographic and clinical covariates on this relationship. Rates of reported incarceration declined from 63 to 43%. Over time, African American veterans were 34% more likely than Caucasian veterans to have a lifetime history of incarceration while interaction analysis showed steeper declines for Caucasians than African Americans. Rates of incarceration among these Vietnam veterans declined as they aged. Furthermore, African American veterans were substantially more likely than Caucasian veterans to have been incarcerated and showed less decline as the cohort aged. While reduced, needs for clinical PTSD services remain among aging combat veterans.
Forensic Drug Diversion Program (ForDD), Yale University School of Medicine, 1 Long Wharf, Suite 7, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA, kendell.coker@yale.edu.
Kendell L
KL
Coker
Robert
R
Rosenheck
D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011329:Prisoners / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D044469:Racial Groups / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000628:therapy; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology; D014493:United States Department of Veterans Affairs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014728:Veterans / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D047829:Vietnam Conflict; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data