Iraq and Afghanistan veteran presentations to Combat Stress, since 2003

Abstract: Background: Recently, proposals have been made to improve mental health care for UK military veterans. Combat Stress (CS), a veteran’s charity, has provided mental health services for veterans since 1919. Since 2003, service users have included veterans from the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts; however, their pattern of help-seeking has not been evaluated. Aims: To describe the characteristics of the veteran population of the recent Iraq or Afghanistan conflicts who sought help from CS between 2003 and May 2011. Methods: CS Iraq and Afghanistan veteran clinical and welfare records were evaluated. Results: Nine hundred and eighty-eight records were evaluated. The median time for veterans of recent conflicts to seek help from CS since discharge from military service was ~2 years, considerably shorter than the mean time of 14 years previously estimated by CS. Approximately, three-quarters of the veterans receiving a full clinical assessment (n = 114), received a diagnosis of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (n = 87). Approximately half of the clinically assessed veterans self-referred to CS (51%); their most frequent diagnosis was PTSD. Conclusions: Veterans who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan are presenting to Combat Stress sooner, and at a younger age, than veterans of previous conflicts and operations.