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. 2014 Nov 1;11(4):83-85.
eCollection 2014 Nov.

Veteran and military mental health: the Australian experience

David Forbes  1 , Olivia Metcalf  2
Affiliations

Veteran and military mental health: the Australian experience

David Forbes et al. Int Psychiatry. .

Abstract

Australia has deployed over 25 000 personnel to recent conflicts in the Middle East and has been involved in peacekeeping missions. Australian veterans report elevated rates of mental health problems such as post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety disorders, affective disorders and substance use disorders. Veteran healthcare is delivered through publicly funded services, as well as through private services, at primary, secondary and tertiary levels. Some of the challenges involve coordination of services for veterans transitioning from Defence to Veterans' Affairs, service delivery across a large continent and stigma inhibiting service-seeking. Initiatives have been introduced in screening and delivery of evidence-based treatments. While challenges remain, Australia has come a long way towards an integrated and comprehensive approach to veteran mental healthcare.

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References

    1. Cohn, A., Hodson, S. & Crane, M. (2010) Resilience training in the Australian defence force. InPsych: The Bulletin of the Australian Psychological Society Ltd, 32, 16.
    1. Department of Veterans’ Affairs (2013a) Annual Report 2012–13. DVA.
    1. Department of Veterans’ Affairs (2013b) The relationship between DVA and Defence. At http://www.dva.gov.au/aboutDVA/publications/corporate/annualreport/2012-... (accessed 18 July 2014).
    1. Forbes, D., Lewis, V., Parslow, R., et al. (2008) Naturalistic comparison of models of programmatic interventions for combat-related post-traumatic stress disorder. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 42, 1051–1059. - PubMed
    1. Forbes, D., Lloyd, D., Nixon, R., et al. (2012) A multisite randomized controlled effectiveness trial of cognitive processing therapy for military-related posttraumatic stress disorder. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 26, 442–452. - PubMed

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