ABSTRACT
In this chapter, we examine what Vietnam veterans say about their physical health. How do they perceive their current physical health compared with other veterans and civilians of the same age? Do Vietnam veterans see themselves as suffering from chronic physical health problems to a greater or lesser degree than others? Are physical health problems associated with exposure to high levels of stress in Vietnam, as is the case with psychological readjustment problems? Are veterans with PTSD in worse physical health than veterans who do not have PTSD? How many Vietnam veterans are recognized by the Veterans Administration as physically disabled in connection with their service in the military?
In our effort to answer more fully the questions posed by Congress regarding the overall impact of the Vietnam war on the current well-being of Vietnam veterans, we asked our respondents to provide us with information on their physical health. One might wonder why we would choose to investigate physical health problems in a study that focuses on psychological and social readjustment. The answer is really quite simple. Given the complexity of human behavior, there is good reason to believe that psychological and social difficulties are not the only problems that can potentially result from exposure to extreme stress in Vietnam. In point of fact, health-care providers have quite frequently observed a relationship between the occurrence of all kinds of stressful life events and the onset of a range of physical illnesses. For this reason, the NVVRS research team concluded that a comprehensive study of the postwar readjustment of America’s Vietnam veterans should examine the relationship between current physical health and 190important aspects of veterans’ experience in the military, such as amount of exposure to stress in Vietnam.
