Women's physical and mental health sequellae of wartime service

Abstract

An increasing percentage of the US Armed Forces are women. Although barred from ground combat job titles, women are serving in ever-broader military occupations. Combat activity is widely dispersed in contemporary wars. involving rear echelon personnel and escalating the involvement of women in hostile action. War is associated with psychological trauma, deprivations, and toxic exposures, each potentially evoking profound long-lasting mental and physical health effects on soldiers. There is some evidence that the mental and physical health sequellae are different in women, although there remain many large gaps in our knowledge. These differences may be due to differing exposures and experiences or they may reflect different vulnerabilities. Health care providers caring for soldiers and veterans require accurate data regarding risks borne by the men and women who have experienced war. Needed are continued comprehensive studies of the health status of former war soldiers. These studies must be designed so that men and women can be compared in the context of specific roles and exposures. Debriefing activities are critical to providing early clues to soldiers' health problems. It is reasonable to anticipate that treatment responses may differ for men and women. Needed are broad follow-up studies in women and men to guide clinical care.Nursing education changes are needed. Because the violence and terror that characterize a war zone are not limited to that venue, there is need for systematic preparation of health care providers to care for patients during disaster and mass casualty situations. Health care providers, such as nurses,could benefit from learning strategies to protect their own health, as well,when confronted with mass casualties. Because the United States continues to send large numbers of its citizens to war, it is critical that nurses appreciate the long-term impact of war on the men and women who serve and explore strategies effective in restoring the war veteran's mental and physical health.