US veterans and their unique issues: enhancing health care professional awareness
US veterans and their unique issues: enhancing health care professional awareness
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DOI：
10.2147/amep.s89479
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发表时间：
2015-01-01
影响因子：
2
通讯作者：
Diaz, Valerie J.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Olenick, Maria;Flowers, Monica;Diaz, Valerie J.
美国退伍军人是一个多元化的群体，有着独特的文化，包括但不限于价值观、习俗、精神、无私的责任、行为准则、含蓄的沟通模式和对命令的服从。与平民相比，退伍军人经历精神健康障碍、物质使用障碍、创伤后应激障碍和创伤性脑损伤的比例不成比例。每天有18到22名美国退伍军人自杀，其中18-44岁的年轻退伍军人自杀的风险最大。无论年龄大小，医疗保健专业人员都必须了解患者的军事历史，并能够识别自杀风险因素。医疗技术的进步使军人能够在受伤后幸存下来，但对许多人来说，代价是创伤性肢体截肢和相关的精神疤痕。医疗保健专业人员必须能够解决身体安全问题，以及退伍军人的情感健康。大约有49933名美国退伍军人无家可归，除了与服役有关的问题外，他们还面临着与非退伍军人同样的困难。退伍军人的特殊问题包括脱离军队服役和与复杂的多重部署有关的问题。成功地让退伍军人重新融入平民生活取决于为退伍军人提供基于他们军事知识和技能的培训、退伍后的就业、防止无家可归以及促进向平民过渡的心理健康项目。通过将退伍军人内容纳入课程，包括退伍军人患者模拟和案例研究，并利用退伍军人临床教师，可以促进卫生保健提供者为满足庞大的退伍军人人口的复杂需求做好准备。
United States veterans are a multifaceted population with a distinct culture that includes, but is not limited to, values, customs, ethos, selfless duty, codes of conduct, implicit patterns of communication, and obedience to command. Veterans experience mental health disorders, substance use disorders, post-traumatic stress, and traumatic brain injury at disproportionate rates compared to their civilian counterparts. Eighteen to 22 American veterans commit suicide daily and young veterans aged 18-44 are most at risk. Health care professionals must be aware of patients' military history and be able to recognize suicide-risk factors, regardless of age. Advancement in medical technology has allowed servicemen to survive their injuries but, for many, at the cost of a traumatic limb amputation and associated mental scarring. Health care professionals must be able to address physical safety concerns, as well as, emotional health of veterans. Approximately 49,933 American veterans are homeless and face the same difficulties as non-veterans in addition to service-related matters. Separation from military service and issues related to complex multiple deployments are among specifically identified veteran issues. Successful veteran reintegration into civilian life rests upon providing veterans with training that builds on their military knowledge and skill, employment post-separation from service, homelessness prevention, and mental health programs that promote civilian transition. Preparing health care providers to meet the complex needs of a vast veteran population can be facilitated by implementing veteran content into curricula that includes veteran patient simulations and case studies, and utilizes veteran clinical faculty.