Introduction
This study examined the health and well-being of U.S. veterans during the first year
after military service and tested several hypotheses regarding differences in veterans’
well-being over time, across life domains, and based on sex, military rank, and deployment
history.
Methods
A national sample of 9,566 veterans was recruited from a roster of all separating
U.S. service members in the fall of 2016. Veterans’ status, functioning, and satisfaction
with regard to their health, work, and social relationships were assessed within 3
months of separation and then 6 months later. Analyses were completed in 2019.
Results
Health concerns were most salient for newly separated veterans, with many veterans
reporting that they had chronic physical (53%) or mental (33%) health conditions and
were less satisfied with their health than either their work or social relationships.
By contrast, most veterans reported relatively high vocational and social well-being
and only work functioning demonstrated a notable decline in the first year following
separation. Enlisted personnel reported consistently poorer health, vocational, and
social outcomes compared with their officer counterparts, whereas war zone–deployed
veterans reported more health concerns and women endorsed more mental health concerns
compared with their nondeployed and male peers.
Conclusions
Although most newly separated veterans experience high vocational and social well-being
as they reintegrate into civilian life, findings point to the need for additional
attention to the health of separating service members and bolstered support for enlisted
personnel to prevent the development of chronic readjustment challenges within this
population.
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Article Info
Publication History
Published online: January 01, 2020
Identification
Copyright
© 2019 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
