Behaviour Change Techniques, Barriers and Facilitators for Promoting Self-managed Physical Activity in Australian Defence Force Veterans: A Mixed-methods Study
Abstract Objectives: Australian Defence Force veterans find self-management of health challenging, and little is known about best-practice approaches for promoting self-managed physical activity in this population. This study assessed the strategies used by health professionals to support veteran patients to self-manage their physical activity regimes and their perceptions concerning the barriers and facilitators that impact […]
Too Sick For Caring? An Analysis of The Health Impact of The Great War (1914-1918) on The First Cohort of New Zealand Nurses Who Served
Introduction New Zealand led the world as the first country to implement a standardised level of training leading to registration with the Nurses Act of 1901.1 This signalled the beginning of a proud tradition of nursing, attracting women from all walks of life. Following the Boer War, nurse leaders in New Zealand recognised the need […]
Associations Between Military Service, Biobehavioral Risk Factors, and All-Cause Mortality in US Adults
Introduction The healthy soldier effect (HSE) explains the health benefits of military service, physical fitness and lower rates of chronic disease and mortality during and after military service.1-3 Yet recent studies have shown that veterans have poorer health outcomes and a higher risk for mortality than civilians.2,4 The altered health trajectory of US veterans has prompted […]
Colonel Arthur Graham Butler’s ‘Allegiances’: Today’s ‘Military Health Service Missions’
N Westphalen Introduction This article follows previous papers by the author regarding occupational and environmental medicine in the ADF.1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10 These articles, as well as a 2019 Productivity Commission inquiry,11 explain why high workplace illness and injury rates confirm the need to improve the management of hazards associated with ADF workplaces, with better emphasis on prevention. To […]
Evaluation of the Online, Peer Delivered ‘Post War: Survive to Thrive Program’ for Veterans with Symptoms of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
Abstract Background: Veterans frequently report barriers to accessing and adhering to first-line treatments for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Online delivery of an evidence-based intervention by a peer-developed program may aid in overcoming these barriers. Purpose: This study evaluated the ‘Post War: Survive to Thrive Program’, an online, peer developed and delivered program, designed to assist […]
Combat, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Health of Australian Vietnam Veteran Conscripts and Volunteers in the Three Decades After Return
B O’Toole, K Pierse, B Friedrich, S Outram, M Dadds, S Catts Introduction Australia’s involvement in the Vietnam conflict from 1962 until troop withdrawal in 1972,1 placed Australians into longer periods of risk of contact with an enemy than at any time in Australia’s history since Gallipoli.2 The Australian Force Vietnam increased in size in […]
Gulf War Illness in the 1991 Gulf War and Gulf Era Veteran Population: An Application of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Kansas Case Definitions to Historical Data
E Dursa, S Barth, B Porter, A Schneiderman Introduction In the initial years following the 1990–1991 Gulf War, reports of a complex array of medically unexplained symptoms began to emerge among US Gulf War veterans.1,2 This cluster of symptoms, which included fatigue, pain, gastrointestinal symptoms, respiratory symptoms, dermatological symptoms, neurological symptoms and cognitive symptoms,3-9 collectively […]
The Dark Night of the Veteran’s Soul – Understanding the Impact of Spiritual Wounds for Australian Veterans
M Davies Abstract Background: Figures from the Department of Veterans’ Affairs indicate there may be over 30,000 Australian veterans that have or may yet develop some form of service-related mental illness. There is a growing body of evidence that there is a spiritual dimension to soldiers’ wounds. Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to […]
Veterans’ attitudes towards discussing sexual practices and sexual orientation with therapists
M Vendlinski, G Simons, J Yen, S Larsen Abstract Background: It is widely recommended that sexuality be discussed during health-care assessments and treatment. Health-care providers often do not raise the topic of sexuality, even though patients typically welcome these conversations. Purpose: The current study examines whether veterans report having discussions about sexuality with their psychotherapists. […]
Comorbidity Risks of a Cohort of Vietnam Veterans Diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
T Bullman, A I Schniederman Abstract Background: Research has demonstrated that posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is associated with increased risk of other mental diseases. Studies have also reported increased risk for cardiovascular diseases associated with PTSD. Purpose: This study examined cause-specific comorbidity risks among a cohort of Vietnam veterans diagnosed with PTSD. Material and […]