According to Newswise, previous research conducted after other military conflicts has shown that deployment and exposure to combat result in increased risk of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), major depression, substance abuse, functional impairment in social and employment settings, and the increased use of health care services.
Charles W. Hoge, M.D., of Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Md., and colleagues conducted a study to determine the relationship between deployment to Iraq and Afghanistan and mental health care use during the first year after return home.
According to the authors, "... this study provides new data showing the strong relationship between combat duty and a variety of mental health outcomes."
