The study, conducted by researchers at University of California and the San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center, reports that nearly 104,000 veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan had sought care at Veterans Affairs facilities between September 2001 and the end of 2005.

Over 13 percent or 13,205 veterans were suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder with symptoms such as flashbacks and were increasingly getting weak. Over 31 percent or 32,010 veterans were suffering from at least one mental disorder, the study added. The study was published in the journal Archives of Internal Medicine.

Says Dr. Karen Seal, the lead author of the study, "Our results signal a need for improvements in the primary prevention of military service-related mental health disorders, particularly among our youngest service members. Our findings suggest that enhanced prevention, detection, and treatment should be targeted at the youngest veterans younger than 25 years, particularly those in the active duty components."

The study also said that the instance of mental problems was nearly the same in both men and women veterans and across racial groups. The study gains extra importance following reports of substandard care at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington and other Veterans Affairs hospitals, which have led to the resignations of the Army secretary and the Army surgeon general.

Simon Rego, an associate director of psychology training at Montefiore Medical Center and assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Albert Einstein College of Medicine , believes that it is important for primary care doctors to recognize symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder and other metal problems as its is more likely that veterans will request a check-up from them.

"We have to do our best to educate the primary care doctors that these patients could come to you first, and you should look for the symptoms of PTSD or other mental health disorders and refer patients for specialty care", Rego said.
 

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