title: Sources of the increasing number of Vietnam era veterans with a diagnosis of PTSD using VHA services.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Correlates of the sharp increase in Vietnam era veterans diagnosed as having posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) were examined.
  
  
  METHODS
  Analyses compared receipt of a PTSD diagnosis and service-connected disability compensation in 2004-2006 and 2007-2009.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among Vietnam era veterans, the percentage with a PTSD diagnosis in 2007-2009 was 22.2% higher than the percentage with PTSD in 2004-2006; the percentage without PTSD was 6.2% higher than in 2004-2006. Of those with PTSD in 2007-2009, 22.6% were previous VHA service users newly diagnosed ("conversions"); only 12.8% were entirely new to VHA ("recents"). Rates of disability compensation among recents and conversions were almost two and three times higher, respectively, than among those without PTSD.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The increase in Vietnam era veterans with PTSD is associated with more frequent "conversion" to PTSD among previous VHA users and receipt of disability compensation.
authors.forename: Eric D A
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Hermes
authors.forename: Rani
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hoff
authors.forename: Robert A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Rosenheck
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D015995:Prevalence; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014493:United States Department of Veterans Affairs / Q000639:trends*; D014728:Veterans / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014729:Veterans Disability Claims / Q000639:trends*; D058014:Veterans Health / Q000639:trends*; D047829:Vietnam Conflict