Progress Report on the Vietnam Veterans Health Study
The Morbidity of Vietnam Veterans study, better known as the Vietnam Veterans Health Study, is the first comprehensive effort by an Australian Government to establish a complete health picture of Vietnam veterans and their families.
The first part of the Study; a survey sent to all Vietnam veterans; was an outstanding success, with more than 40,000 veterans completing and returning the questionnaire.
Volume 1 of the Study, a report on the health of male Vietnam veterans, was released in early 1998 and supported the position taken by the ex-service community - and accepted by the Government - that the health of Vietnam veterans is generally worse than that of Australians of a comparable age.
The findings on male Vietnam veterans include
- 30 per cent reported experiencing panic attacks
- 41 per cent said they suffered anxiety disorders and 45 per cent depression
- 31 per cent reported suffering post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- 25 per cent of veterans said they had been told by their doctor they had cancer
- 405 veterans said they had cancer of the colon, more than three times higher than expected
- and 51 veterans reported cases of male breast cancer, more than 17 times the expected number
Volume 2 of the Study, which reports on the health of the female Vietnam veterans, was released in December 1998.
Validation
While the Study authors endorsed the majority of the results, a key recommendation of the Health Study was that additional research be conducted to validate some of the conditions reported.
Validation is a common follow-up procedure in medical research and has been recommended particularly in cases where it is possible that questions might have been inadvertently misunderstood or misinterpreted.
By seeking more detailed information the Department of Veterans' Affairs will be able to make sure the Study results are as accurate as possible.
This will provide a sound basis on which the Government can make future decisions about ways to help veterans and their families.
The Health Study has been carried out in consultation with the Vietnam Veterans' Association of Australia, the Australian Veterans and Defence Services Council and the RSL, and these veterans' representatives have agreed to the validation project.
Statement from the Ex-Service Organisations about the validation.
The research is being carried out by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, which is an independent Commonwealth organisation which monitors the health and welfare of the Australian community.
To conduct the validation research, the Institute has sent forms to around 7,000 of the veterans who took part in the first survey for the Health Study and who reported the conditions subject to validation.
These conditions are cancers (except non-melanotic skin cancers), motor neurone disease and multiple sclerosis in veterans.
If you have any further queries please refer to our Frequently Asked Questions and Answers about the Validation Project or contact the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Helpline on 1800 236 166.
Health concerns in veterans' children
The Health study also found worrying statistics concerning the health of veterans' children, so the Institute has been asked to examine the results indicating an increased level of congenital abnormalities (birth defects), cancers (including leukaemia, Wilms' tumour, and cancer of the nervous system) and deaths due to suicide, accident and illness.
Again, the purpose of validation is to check the accuracy of responses, but also to gather additional detail about some of the conditions, for example how severe or disabling they may be.
Taking part in the validation survey is entirely voluntary. However, by participating, veterans will be helping the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare to gather the information which the Government needs to make important decisions about health care for veterans and their family members.
What they are being asked to do is answer the questions on the form as completely as possible and to give permission for the Institute to contact their doctor or examine health registers for more detailed medical information.
In cases where veterans reported a condition affecting a child and the child is 17 or over, the Institute is asking for contact details so that person can give their permission for the information to be obtained.
All of this information is subject to strict confidentiality requirements applied by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.
No personal information which might identify a veteran will be passed on to the Department of Veterans' Affairs. Veterans will not affect their benefits or entitlements by agreeing to answer the questions on the validation form.
Access to Benefits
The Government's priority in responding to the Health Study is to make sure that all Vietnam veterans are getting the care and compensation to which they are entitled.
Vietnam veterans can access benefits and treatment through the Repatriation system for any condition which is war-caused.
If any veteran is suffering from an illness which they believe is related to their service in Vietnam, they are encouraged to contact the Department of Veterans' Affairs as soon as possible.
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