18.5% of Iraq, Afghanistan veterans have depression or PTSD, study finds

The Army has stepped up mental health screening at the end of tours, but the Rand study says many soldiers are still undiagnosed. Less than half of the 300,000 affected veterans have been treated.
By Julian E. Barnes
Los Angeles Times Staff Writer

April 17, 2008

WASHINGTON — Nearly one in five veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars is currently suffering from depression or stress disorders, according to the latest and most comprehensive study of current and former military service members, released today.

Less than half of those 300,000 veterans have received care for depression or post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), according to the study, signaling significant problems with the U.S. mental healthcare system.

The study shows that the stress disorders may be more prevalent and lasting than previously known. Although the Army has conducted annual evaluations of troops deployed in Iraq, the new study, conducted by the Rand Corp. and funded by the California Community Foundation, is the first to try and assess the mental health of the 1.65 million service members that have been deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan.

Amid reports of increased mental health problems, the Army has been dramatically stepping up its screening of soldiers at the end of their tours.

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