title: Iraq and Afghanistan War Veterans with Reintegration Problems: Differences by Veterans Affairs Healthcare User Status.
abstract: We studied 1,292 Iraq and Afghanistan War veterans who participated in a clinical trial of expressive writing to estimate the prevalence of perceived reintegration difficulty and compare Veterans Affairs (VA) healthcare users to nonusers in terms of demographic and clinical characteristics. About half of participants perceived reintegration difficulty. VA users and nonusers differed in age and military background. Levels of mental and physical problems were higher in VA users. In multivariate analysis, military service variables and probable traumatic brain injury independently predicted VA use. Findings demonstrate the importance of research comparing VA users to nonusers to understand veteran healthcare needs.
authors.affiliation: Center for Chronic Disease Outcomes Research, Minneapolis VA Healthcare System, One Veterans Drive, Minneapolis, MN, 55417, USA, nina.sayer@va.gov.
authors.forename: Nina A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Sayer
authors.forename: Robert J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Orazem
authors.forename: Siamak
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Noorbaloochi
authors.forename: Amy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gravely
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Frazier
authors.forename: Kathleen F
authors.initials: KF
authors.lastname: Carlson
authors.forename: Paula P
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Schnurr
authors.forename: Heather
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Oleson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D055826:Afghan Campaign 2001-; D000786:Anger; D063425:Binge Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology; D000070642:Brain Injuries, Traumatic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006296:Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006791:Hostility; D006801:Humans; D054542:Iraq War, 2003-2011; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D012917:Social Adjustment; D012944:Social Support; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014493:United States Department of Veterans Affairs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014728:Veterans / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult