title: Health conditions in a cohort of New Zealand Vietnam veterans: hospital admissions between 1988 and 2009.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To inform the provision of support to veterans by analysing hospital discharge data, thereby identifying which conditions show an excess risk, require specific management strategies and deserve further investigation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Tertiary level care, including all public and private New Zealand hospitals.
  
  
  METHODS
  All New Zealand Vietnam veterans with service between 1964 and 1972.
  
  
  METHODS
  Standardised hospitalisation ratios (SHRs) were calculated based on the number of first observed hospital admissions for a condition, those expected being based on New Zealand national hospitalisation rates.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The SHR for all causes of hospitalisation was 1.18, 95% CI 1.15 to 1.21, with modest increases for the major common causes, cardio and cerebrovascular disease. Admission rates for chronic renal failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were highest in the 2006-2009 time period. The highest statistically significant hospitalisation risk was for alcohol-related mental disorder, SHR 1.91, 99% CI 1.39 to 2.43.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Chronic renal failure has limited attribution to veteran service but along with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease has the potential to have high costs both to the individual and the health system. We suggest that routine surveillance of veterans by way of a 'flag' in national and primary care databases would facilitate the recognition of service-related conditions and the appropriate provision of healthcare.
authors.affiliation: Hugh Adam Cancer Epidemiology Unit, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cox
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
authors.forename: David
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5531-7687
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: McBride
authors.affiliation: Ngai Tahu Māori Health Research Unit, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Broughton
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Diagnostic and Surgical Sciences, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Darryl
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tong
mesh_terms: D000342:Affective Symptoms; D000368:Aged; D019973:Alcohol-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D003130:Combat Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049674:History, 21st Century; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009520:New Zealand / Q000453:epidemiology; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D051436:Renal Insufficiency, Chronic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D014728:Veterans / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D047829:Vietnam Conflict
keywords: EPIDEMIOLOGY; OCCUPATIONAL & INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE; PREVENTIVE MEDICINE