Study finds Australia veterans in poorer health
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Australia’s surviving Korean War veterans are in poorer health than the rest of the community and are more likely to suffer depression and post-traumatic stress disorder, a new study has found.
The study for Australia’s Department of Veterans Affairs, released on Tuesday, found that 50 years after the conflict, Korean War veterans also had lower life satisfaction and a poorer quality of life compared with other Australian men of the same age.
They are also likely to drink more alcohol and smoke more cigarettes than the rest of the community.
“The health study has demonstrated that the long-term health effects of war service can be severe, and can still be present 50 years after the end of hostilities,” the department said.
Almost 18,000 Australians served in the United Nations force in the combat phase of the Korean War from 1950 to 1953, or as part of ceasefire monitoring force between 1953 and 1956. More than 1,200 Australians were wounded and 339 killed.
More than half of the veterans have died over the past 50 years.
The study compared the health of the remaining veterans to a group of men of the same age who did not serve in the military.
It found the war veterans were up to three times more likely to have high blood pressure, stroke, heart attacks, liver disease, arthritis, ulcers, deafness and cancer.
The problems were worse for those who took part in heavy combat, who were 15 times more likely to have post-traumatic stress disorder and six times more likely to suffer anxiety and depression.
Australia’s Veterans’ Affairs Minister De-Anne Kelly said Australia has provided free health care for veterans, as well as counselling programmes for tobacco and alcohol misuse.
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