Drug and Alcohol Rehab Blog

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Returning Troops Need Substance Abuse Treatment, North Carolina Report Says

North Carolina is home to more than 120,000 active-duty military personnel, the fourth largest concentration in the nation. According to a new report by The Coalition, a group of 40 statewide organizations that advocates for North Carolina veterans, returning troops require greater access to substance abuse treatment.

Researchers have found evidence of alcohol and substance use problems among military personnel during pre- and post-deployment. Research has also found that those military personnel who were deployed and exposed to combat were significantly more likely to experience new-onset heavy drinking, binge drinking and alcohol related problems (Jacobson et al., 2008).

Of 350,000 OEF-OIF (Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom) veterans, 16 percent were diagnosed with alcohol or other substance abuse; 4 percent with alcohol dependence; and 2 percent with other substance dependence (Eggleston et al., 2009). Research also shows that when substance abuse or dependence is combined with post-traumatic stress disorder (prevalence rates of 13-22 percent), clinical problems such as psychosocial impairment, aggression and suicide increase.

(Source: www.carolinanewswire.com)

Labels: military, substance abuse, treatment