The Australian Gulf War Veterans’ Follow Up Health Study 2015 (Follow Up Study) is a follow up to the original Australian Gulf War Veterans’ Health Study 2003 (the 2003 study), also commissioned by DVA, to assess Gulf War veterans’ health and wellbeing 20 years after deployment.

The Follow Up Study is a longitudinal cohort study conducted from 2010 to 2015.  It compares the physical, psychological and social health and military related exposures of Australian Defence Force veterans of the First Gulf War against a military comparison group and the 2003 study.  A mortality and cancer study component of the Follow Up Study involved the entire Gulf War and military comparison groups, comprising a total of 4,793 people.

At follow up Gulf War veterans were found to be resilient. They were likely to have accessed disability and health services, which may suggest that the Gulf War cohort is seeking help when they need it.  At follow up there was a reduction in smoking, with one half of those who reported being a smoker in the 2003 study no longer smoking.

The Follow Up Study found Gulf War veteran participants were more likely than the military comparison group to suffer from a number of conditions, including posttraumatic stress disorder, alcohol disorder, chronic fatigue, irritable bowel syndrome and chronic multisymptom illness.

There were no statistically significant differences in cancer and mortality rates between Gulf War veterans and the military comparison group.

As part of the Australian Gulf War Veterans' Health Study (published in 2003), serum samples were collected from consenting participants, for long-term storage and future potential research. In 2005, a Serum Management Committee (the Committee) was established to provide oversight of the stored samples.

The Vietnam Veterans Family Study (VVFS) is the most significant research program ever undertaken by the Australian Government into the health of the families of Australia’s Vietnam veterans. The four volumes, released in 2014, examine the effect of Vietnam War service on the physical, mental and social health of the sons and daughters of Vietnam veterans. 

Over 27,000 people participated in the studies, including Vietnam veterans, partners and their children. Defence Force personnel of the same era who did not deploy to Vietnam, and their families, participated in the study as a control group.

A further report, titled Spouses and Partners of Vietnam Veterans – Findings from the Vietnam Veterans Family Study, was commissioned following consultation with the veteran community through the Ex-Service Organisation Round Table (ESORT). Feedback from stakeholders highlighted the importance of including spouses and partners in the VVFS analysis. 

Information about the consultation process, ESORT’s recommendations, and the Government Response can be found below.

• ESORT Feedback Paper (PDF 784 KB)
  ESORT Feedback Paper (DOCX 604 KB)
• Government Response to the Vietnam Veterans Family Study

Findings

The VVFS found that the majority of sons and daughters born to Vietnam veterans are leading healthy and productive lives. However, analysis found that the families of Australia’s Vietnam veterans are more likely to have considerable emotional, physical, and social issues when compared to families of those who served in that era but did not deploy to Vietnam.

When examining mortality amongst the children of Vietnam veterans, the research found that the children of Vietnam veterans and Vietnam-era personnel had lower mortality rates when compared to the general Australian population and that there were no significant differences in deaths from cancer. Sons of Vietnam veterans deployed had a higher mortality rate compared with Vietnam-era personnel from late teenage years to adulthood, largely due to external causes which include car accidents, misadventure and suicide.

To see the full reports released in 2014 please follow these links:

• Volume 1: Introduction and Summary of the Studies of Vietnam Veteran Families (PDF 614 KB)
  Volume 1: Introduction and Summary of the Studies of Vietnam Veteran Families (DOCX 2.92 MB)
• Volume 2: A Study of Health and Social Issues in Vietnam Veteran Sons and Daughters (PDF 748 KB)
  Volume 2: A Study of Health and Social Issues in Vietnam Veteran Sons and Daughters (DOCX 2.30 MB)
• Volume 3: A Study of Mortality Patterns of Vietnam Veteran Families (PDF 901 KB)
  Volume 3: A Study of Mortality Patterns of Vietnam Veteran Families (DOCX 2.84 MB)
• Volume 4: Supplementary Studies of Vietnam Veteran Families' Experiences (PDF 2.09 MB)
  Volume 4: Supplementary Studies of Vietnam Veteran Families' Experiences (DOCX 7.41 MB)

The report Spouses and Partners of Vietnam Veterans – Findings from the Vietnam Veterans Family Study confirms the long-term impact of Vietnam War service on family members. The two main areas that partners were faring less well in were mental health and couple relationships, though significant results were also found for perceptions of general physical health, perceptions of family relationships and socio-economic disadvantage.

The study confirms that veteran partners should continue to be considered in the design of early intervention supports to help reduce the long term impact of military service on families.

• Spouses and Partners of Vietnam Veterans – Findings from the Vietnam Veterans Family Study
• Spouses and Partners of Vietnam Veterans – Summary of findings from the Vietnam Veterans Family Study

Support services

The research shows that operational service affects more than just the person who serves. It can also impact on family members which is why DVA has services to help families adjust and cope. Studies such as these help inform support programs and services.

For veterans and their families, support is available through Open Arms — Veterans & Families Counselling. Open Arms provides 24 hour, free and confidential counselling and support to veterans and their families. For more information, call 1800 011 046 or visit the Open Arms website.

Families can find out about support available from DVA on the website.

More information about mental health support is also available here.

Further information

For further information, see also:

• Media backgrounder (PDF 167 KB)
  Media backgrounder (DOCX 79 KB)
• Ministerial media release — Important research studies released
• Government response to the Vietnam Veterans Family Study 2014 (PDF 113 KB)

The Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) commissioned Bond University, Tactical Research Unit to quantify exposures that occur during the initial training of full-time Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel and compare those findings with the exposure threshold levels set out in the Statements of Principles for osteoarthritis in the lower limb established by the Repatriation Medical Authority.

The study’s findings have supported the work undertaken by DVA to improve access to services, streamline the compensation claims process, and fast track access to treatment by lessening the need for some veterans to explain how their service has caused OLL when submitting claims to DVA.

The Health Study 2005: Australian Veterans of the Korean War is the third and final study in a series of studies of the health of Australian Korean War veterans. The reports for first two studies, the Cancer Incidence Study and the Mortality Study, were released in 2003. The three studies constitute a major study program of health in this Australian veteran population and represent one of the most comprehensive investigations of health ever conducted in an entire veteran group.

Health Study 2005: Australian Veterans of the Korean War was prompted by recommendations from the first two studies concerning the need for a general health survey of Australian Korean War veterans. The study compared surviving male Korean War veterans with a group of men of similar age who were resident in Australia at the time of the Korean War but who did not serve in Korea.

The study was commissioned by the Repatriation Commission, managed by the Department of Veterans' Affairs and conducted by Monash University.

Independent studies by Professor David Dunt - As part of its election commitment, the Australian Government committed to conduct a study to examine the broad issue of suicide in the ex-service community, including a number of specific cases of suicide over the past three years, to help identify the following:

• ex-service members who are at increased risk of self harm
• common contributing factors among ex-service members who have committed or attempted suicide
• the extent of suicide in the ex-service community
• lifestyle or other factors that may be contributing to suicide in the ex-service community
• recommended administrative reforms or initiatives to help combat suicide in the ex-service community.

The Government appointed Professor David Dunt to undertake the study. Professor Dunt is a public health specialist and epidemiologist with major interests in health program evaluation and health services research.  He was also appointed to conduct the Review of Mental Health Care in the Australian Defence Force and Transition through Discharge (Defence website).

Prof. Dunt presented his study to the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs in February 2009. The Minister announced the Government’s response (PDF 149 KB) in May 2009.

Terms of reference

The terms of reference for the study were developed in consultation with the National Veterans’ Mental Health and Wellbeing Forum.

See: Suicide study terms of reference (PDF 47 KB)

DVA commissioned this study in 2011 to gain a better understanding of the experiences of reservists. The field-based component of the study consisted of face-to-face, semi-structured interviews with 39 ADF reservists, primarily from the Army with a smaller number from the Air Force. The text-based component centred on a review of the academic literature, as well as a review of historical documents and an inventory of support services available to reservists.

The study found that reservists vary in the way they understand their reservist identity. Some identify more with a ‘full-timer’ identity and feel a close connection with ADF membership and military skills, while some identify more as a ‘part-timer’ and place stronger emphasis on their civilian professional skills. The researcher found that the extent to which reservists identify with the ADF can affect outcomes including their health and wellbeing, cohesion with their unit and accessing of support services.

The reservists study has provided DVA with useful information about the experiences and needs of a sample of contemporary reservists. As a qualitative pilot study, the report is exploratory in nature. It does not quantify the extent to which the views expressed by the participants would be shared among reservists and reservist veterans more generally. Nevertheless, the report provides a useful understanding of issues experienced by the reservists interviewed and identified in the academic literature.

The report has informed DVA’s understanding of how reservists identify and the potential implications of this for DVA’s communication and engagement with reservists. It has also informed a focus on reservists in planning future DVA research. On 11 June 2014, the Government announced a joint DVA/Defence Transition and Wellbeing Research Programme which includes a nested study on reservists.

Reservists can access similar DVA support and services to those available to Permanent ADF members. For details on reservists’ entitlements, please see DVA website and/or the Claims for reservists. Reservists who are in doubt about what DVA services or support they could access are encouraged to contact DVA.

The aim of this Rapid Evidence Assessment (REA) was to examine the evidence to establish whether ageing veterans experience challenges and issues that differ from those of the general population. Also, the factors and interventions that positively affect health and wellbeing outcomes for older people (particularly those from military backgrounds).

The 'Veterans’ Advocacy and Support Services Scoping Study' led by Mr Robert Cornall AO was released in December 2018. The aim of this study was to recommend the most suitable advocacy model for Australian veterans and families. You can learn more about this in the Terms of Reference.

Read more about reviews and reports on the veteran advocacy system.

This study aimed to examine the health and compensation outcomes of Rwanda veterans and investigate whether there were differences in outcomes between the different groups deployed.

The study undertook a data match and analysis process using personnel, compensation, health and mortality data.

Among other things, the study found that the health of the Rwanda cohort is characterised by a high rate of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) that is expressed in two compensation peaks five and 11 years after the deployment.

There was no evidence of difference in discharge rates between the contingents, between personnel groups or between personnel from formed units and those who joined deployments individually.

This comprehensive report compares mental health care support in the Australian Defence Force (ADF) with world’s best practice and assessed the extent to which the mental health needs of serving and transitioning ADF members were being met.

Independent studies by Professor David Dunt

In addition to undertaking the Independent Study into Suicide in the Ex-service Community, Prof. Dunt was also appointed by the then Minister for Veterans Affairs’, the Hon Alan Griffin MP, and the Minister for Defence Science and Personnel, the Hon. Warren Snowdon MP, to undertake the Review of Mental Health Care in the ADF and Transition through Discharge.

The review was released on Friday, 1 May, 2009, along with the Government’s response.

Prof. Dunt’s comprehensive report compared mental health care support in the Australian Defence Force (ADF) with world’s best practice and assessed the extent to which the mental health needs of serving and transitioning ADF members were being met.

The review highlighted successes and gaps in the delivery of mental health programs and transition services and made 52 recommendations to improve and extend delivery of those services.