title: Design and methods of the national Vietnam veterans longitudinal study.
abstract: The National Vietnam Veterans Longitudinal Study (NVVLS) is the second assessment of a representative cohort of US veterans who served during the Vietnam War era, either in Vietnam or elsewhere. The cohort was initially surveyed in the National Vietnam Veterans Readjustment Study (NVVRS) from 1984 to 1988 to assess the prevalence, incidence, and effects of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other post-war problems. The NVVLS sought to re-interview the cohort to assess the long-term course of PTSD. NVVLS data collection began July 3, 2012 and ended May 17, 2013, comprising three components: a mailed health questionnaire, a telephone health survey interview, and, for a probability sample of theater Veterans, a clinical diagnostic telephone interview administered by licensed psychologists. Excluding decedents, 78.8% completed the questionnaire and/or telephone survey, and 55.0% of selected living veterans participated in the clinical interview. This report provides a description of the NVVLS design and methods. Together, the NVVRS and NVVLS constitute a nationally representative longitudinal study of Vietnam veterans, and extend the NVVRS as a critical resource for scientific and policy analyses for Vietnam veterans, with policy relevance for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans.
authors.affiliation: Abt Associates Inc, Durham, NC, USA.
authors.forename: William E
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Schlenger
authors.affiliation: Abt Associates Inc, Durham, NC, USA.
authors.forename: Nida H
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Corry
authors.affiliation: Independent Consultant, Raleigh, NC, USA.
authors.forename: Richard A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Kulka
authors.affiliation: Abt Associates Inc, Durham, NC, USA.
authors.forename: Christianna S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.affiliation: Steven and Alexandra Cohen Veterans Center, Department of Psychiatry, NYU Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Clare
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Henn-Haase
authors.affiliation: Steven and Alexandra Cohen Veterans Center, Department of Psychiatry, NYU Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Charles R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Marmar
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D035843:Biomedical Research / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003130:Combat Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States; D014728:Veterans / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D047829:Vietnam Conflict
keywords: PTSD; Vietnam veterans; epidemiology; methodology; trauma