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MYTH BUSTERS - Vietnam Veterans’ Family Study
Myth –
The Study is a waste of time
DVA has over a long period of time undertaken various health studies of veterans including Korean veterans, Vietnam veterans and Gulf War veterans. Many different health studies have been undertaken of the Vietnam veteran population including mortality, cancer incidence and morbidity. Questions relating to the veterans’ children’s health have been asked but were limited in number as the focus of the health study remained on the veteran. Some of the outcomes of these health studies have resulted in services and benefits being provided to children of Vietnam veterans as well as to veterans.
The Vietnam veteran community has for some time been asking for a study of their children’s health. This study responds to the concerns about the health of their children and will provide a comprehensive picture about the wellbeing of the family unit.
Information from this study will not only identify potential health issues but will also assist in the development of services to more accurately meet the needs of families of defence force personnel.
The study will provide much needed information on the impact of military service on family functioning and the health and well-being of children of military families. The outcomes of this study will inform and assist in the development of government policy.
The study outcomes will be published in a written report which will also be available on DVA’s internet site. All information is published in an aggregate form and is de-identified. The final outcomes will then be considered by the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs and the Government. It is possible that outcomes from this health study will assist in the targeting of services and benefits provided by DVA and the Australian Defence Force for military families.
Myth –
Only Randomly selected people will be studied.
Anyone who registers interest in being in the study will be included; however, only those randomly selected will be part of the main study analysis.
This is being done to maintain the scientific validity of the project involving the study and comparison groups. The non-selected registered group will be the focus of a separate report.
Myth -
Army veterans are sicker than RAAF and Navy veterans and therefore their children are sicker and that’s why Army veterans form the official study analysis.
Vietnam Army veterans provide a critical mass which will allow researchers to obtain sufficient numbers of veterans to study. Army veterans make up more than twice the combined number of personnel in RAAF and the Navy.
The critical mass of Army personnel increases the likelihood of achieving a research outcome from the study. The higher the number of people studied using the random selection process, the better the chances of finding any intergenerational health effects from the veteran’s service.
Myth -
The veteran community was not consulted about the inclusion of Army only for the official study analysis.
The Scientific Advisory Committee for the Feasibility Study of a study into the health of the children of Vietnam veterans concluded that the most appropriate study group would be Army only. A Consultative Forum for the Feasibility Study was set up and consisted of veteran representatives including – The Australian Federation of Totally Incapacitated Ex-servicemen and Women, Children of Vietnam Veterans’ Health Study, Vietnam Veterans Association of Australia, the Partners of Veterans’ Association of Australia and the Vietnam Veterans’ Federation of Australia. The Consultative Forum endorsed this approach noting that the study outcomes should apply to children of RAAF and RAN veterans.
The Research Protocol developed by CMVH (involving Army only) was pre-tested with representatives from the veteran community. Feedback received was supportive of the protocol.
The Centre for Military and Veterans’ Health (CMVH) was asked by the Government to develop a sound and workable research protocol in response to the Feasibility Study. CMVH convened a panel of intergenerational scientific experts to guide the design of the methods to use for the study, which would increase the chances of finding any differences in the health and social wellbeing of the children of Vietnam veterans compared to the general Australian population.
Myth –
The input of RAAF and Navy participants won’t be studied, it will be ignored.
While not part of the main study, qualitative research will be undertaken separately with Navy and Air Force personnel and their families.
This will help determine if their collective experiences were similar or significantly different to those of Army personnel.
Myth -
DVA only cares about the health of Army veterans.
The significant service of Navy and Air Force Vietnam veterans is recognised and due to the valuable input these veterans can provide to the study, information will be collected. It is for scientific reasons alone that it will be considered separately from the randomly selected group.
The researchers must follow certain protocols for the study to be valid. The research protocol for the major survey component involves using the nominal roll of Vietnam veterans to get a random sample. For scientific and logistical reasons, random participants for the survey will be selected from Army personnel only.
The reasoning behind selecting Army participants was deliberated at length. It is considered that the selection of Army would result in a more robust sample and increase the likelihood of detecting any effect of Vietnam service on the children of veterans. The logistic reasons include that there are larger numbers of enlisted Army veterans; a list of Army veterans who did not go to Vietnam is already available for a comparison group, and the consistency of the nature and length of deployment in Vietnam. A retrospective intergenerational study of this type has not been done before. The researchers who developed the protocol felt that to address the many significant inherent issues of bias and confounding which may distort a true effect, it was necessary to sample the most homogeneous study population possible.
There are a number of scientific issues that must be considered when developing a study protocol and the decision to restrict the random survey analysis to Army personnel only gives the highest probability of obtaining scientifically valid results.
While the decision to study the Army was for methodological reasons, this does not negate the potential relevance to these findings to the children of Royal Australian Navy and Royal Australian Air Force veterans. It is important to acknowledge that there were many similarities in the nature of the service between some Navy, Air Force and Army personnel.
Veterans who served in the Navy and the Air Force can register to participate in the study. However, these results must be considered separately from the randomly selected group.
We are not saying Army veterans are sicker than the other veterans. Nor are we saying that the children of Army veterans are sicker than other children.
The study is about gathering a large enough study group to give statistically valid results. The Army group is the one large enough from which we are most likely to get valid results.
Myth –
Deceased Vietnam veterans are not part of the main study analysis therefore the health and well being of their families will not be considered.
It is correct that families of deceased veterans are not included as part of the randomly selected sample of veterans for the main study analysis. This group was excluded for a number of reasons. The recruitment method outlined in the Study Protocol uses the Vietnam veteran to contact his adult children on behalf of the Department and finding the contact details of all of the randomly sampled ex-partners and partners of deceased veterans would be a difficult process and potentially add years to the study. There is not a current list of deceased veterans from the comparison group (Vietnam era veterans who served during the Vietnam War Era but did not go to Vietnam) and without this group, the study would not be scientifically valid.
However, the value and importance of investigating the health of the family members of deceased Vietnam veterans is recognised and this group will be included in the Vietnam Veterans' Family Study and will receive exactly the same survey questionnaire as the main study group. Their responses will be reported on separately from the main study analysis. It is possible that the expert researchers will undertake detailed qualitative research of particular study groups such as the families of Navy, RAAF or deceased veterans.
If you are a widow, ex-partner or child of a deceased Vietnam veteran, you are encouraged to participate in the DVA Family Study by registering online at http://www.dva.gov.au/health/research/fsp/vv/reg_interest.htm or contacting DVA’s Health Study Line on 1800 502 302.
Myth –
No Study results will be known until 2016/Veterans will die before there is any outcome.
It is acknowledged that the study will take a long time to complete which is necessary in order to obtain a comprehensive picture of the health and wellbeing of Vietnam veterans and their families. The study requires a significant amount of research that will take approximately eight years to complete.
It is anticipated the first results will be available during 2009, with results of other elements of the study to be completed progressively by 2016. The News Update page of the Family Study Program website will provide updated information on the progress of the study. For more information you can call DVA’s Health Study Line on 1800 502 302.
The first research component to be undertaken is a Mortality Study of the children of Vietnam Veterans. These results are likely to be available in late 2009.
There are many other results that will be made available over the course of the study. For example:
In February 2009 we will have the results of a re-analysis of existing data from the Vietnam Veterans’ Sons & Daughters Project. This was carried out by the VVCS – Veterans and Veterans Families Counselling Service in 2003. It sought to reduce the risk of suicide and increase the resilience and mental health of sons and daughters of Vietnam veterans.
In June 2011 we will have a report on case studies on a selected number of veterans to investigate the experience of being a child of a Vietnam veteran ‘as lived’ by the children participating in the case study analysis.
In June 2012 we will have a report based on a small group of participants following their involvement in deeper but less structured interviews.
In June 2014 we are expecting a report that compares the physical, mental and social health of Vietnam veterans’ families with a comparison group. The comparison group comprises those who served in the military but not in Vietnam.
In December 2014 we are expecting a report based on telephone interviews and focus groups involving a smaller sample of those who participate in the quantitative study.
In June 2015 we are expecting a report that compares physical, mental and social health of Vietnam veterans’ families with a second comparison group of brothers who served in the military but not in Vietnam.
In June 2016 we are expecting a report that compares physical, mental and social health of Vietnam veterans’ families with a third comparison group of siblings who did not serve in the military.
Myth -
DVA doesn’t care what Veterans want – they take no notice on how we want this Study to be done.
A Consultative Forum for this study will be established in due course to act as a mechanism for consultation between DVA and the veteran community. This Forum will provide opportunities for members of the veteran community to contribute to the study process. The Forum will be a representative group of study participants with the relevant skills, experience and the broad geographic connections necessary to effectively engage in discussion concerning the study.
The News Update page of the Family Study Program website will provide updated information on the progress of the study. For more information you can call DVA’s Health Study Line on 1800 502 302.
Myth –
DVA doesn’t know how to undertake a Study like this.
The study is being managed by the Department of Veterans’ Affairs. The research work will be done by external researchers from academic institutions who have appropriate skills and expertise. They will be chosen by competitive tender. Please be assured that suitably qualified researchers will be tasked with this work.
Myth –
DVA won’t help me if I have a hard time during the Study.
If during the course of the study you would like to discuss the issues raised in the survey questionnaire with a counsellor, you can access the VVCS - Veterans and Veterans Families Counselling Service (VVCS) on 1800 011 046.
Myth –
If I receive an invitation I have no choice but to participate.
Participating in the study is entirely voluntary. If you decide to express your interest in the study, you can withdraw your interest at any time by calling DVA’s Health Study Line 1800 502 302.
Myth –
I have to pay to participate in the Study.
The study is free for eligible participants. There are no financial rewards for taking part. Although you may not receive direct benefit from your participation, others may ultimately benefit from the knowledge we obtain.
Myth –
I don’t need to participate because I am healthy.
The study will aim to identify what factors affect health and wellbeing in families of veterans. To do this, we need a broad and representative group of participants – not only those who feel they have suffered because of Vietnam service, but also those who feel they haven’t suffered.
The study will help DVA to provide suitable programs and services for the Vietnam veteran community. You might not directly benefit from taking part, but the knowledge we obtain could help others.
Myth –
I don’t need to participate because I’m not related to a Vietnam veteran.
We need a broad and representative group of participants so we can get comprehensive and scientifically valid results. We will need people for comparison groups, such as families where the father did not serve in Vietnam or where the parents had no military service. This will help us to work out whether the health of Vietnam veterans’ families is different to other families in the community.
Your participation in this study will be greatly appreciated. Although you may not receive direct benefit, the knowledge we obtain could help others.
Myth –
DVA will use the information I provide to cut my pension payment.
Participating in the study will not in any way affect your pension, benefits or any health services you are entitled to from DVA. Any information you provide will only be used for research purposes.
Only a small number of DVA staff will have access to the information you provide. This information will only be used to compile a list of potential participants for the study.
We will keep confidential all personal records related to the study. However, there are some circumstances in which the law may require us to show your information to a court. Information will be stored securely on an electronic database with access limited to staff of the Family Study Program via a password. The final results of the study will be the combined information we have gathered from all participants and no individuals will be identified.
Myth -
You have to have a blood test or other invasive medical interventions to participate.
The study will involve the completion of a survey questionnaire and there will be a separate invitation and consent process for participation. Participants will not be required to undergo a medical examination or give blood or urine samples.