title: Stressful and positive experiences of women who served in Vietnam.
abstract: Experiences of women who served during the Vietnam War have been described in interviews/anecdotal reports but rarely in empirical literature. Potential positive (versus negative) aspects of service or its impact on well-being are seldom considered. We describe stressful and positive experiences reported by approximately 1,300 female military personnel, Red Cross workers, and others deployed to Vietnam. Prominent stressful (e.g., negative living/working conditions) and positive (e.g., interpersonal relationships) themes and differences based on trauma history, Vietnam experiences, and group membership are explored. We evaluate associations between themes and psychological well-being. Findings provide insight into experiences of this understudied group of women.
authors.affiliation: a National Center for PTSD , VA Boston Healthcare System , Boston , Massachusetts , USA.|b Department of Psychiatry , Boston University School of Medicine , Boston , Massachusetts , USA.
authors.forename: Anica
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pless Kaiser
authors.affiliation: c MAVERIC, VA Boston Healthcare System , Boston , Massachusetts , USA.|d Department of Epidemiology , Boston University School of Public Health , Boston , Massachusetts , USA.|e RTI International , Waltham , Massachusetts , USA.
authors.forename: Joyce
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: a National Center for PTSD , VA Boston Healthcare System , Boston , Massachusetts , USA.|b Department of Psychiatry , Boston University School of Medicine , Boston , Massachusetts , USA.
authors.forename: Eve H
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Davison
authors.affiliation: f Department of Psychology , University of Connecticut , Storrs , Connecticut , USA.
authors.forename: Crystal L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: g Health Policy and Management, Mailman School of Public Health , Columbia University , New York , New York , USA.
authors.forename: Jeanne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mager Stellman
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008875:Middle Aged; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000523:psychology*; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000523:psychology*; D036301:Qualitative Research; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology*; D014481:United States; D047829:Vietnam Conflict; D014937:Work / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: Older women; Vietnam; qualitative; stressful and positive experiences