By Xinhua,
Washington : One in five US soldiers who returned from the Iraq or Afghanistan war, suffered post-traumatic stress disorder, according to a report.
The Rand Corporation (a non-profit US think tank) Thursday said in its report that nearly 20 percent (300,000) of the US troops reported symptoms of mental problems. Around 19 percent experienced a possible traumatic brain injury, while seven percent suffered both problems.
However, most soldiers did not seek treatment for fear that it might harm their careers. Among those who sought help from the doctors, only half have received treatment, though it was inadequate to solve their problems, the report said.
“There is a major health crisis facing those men and women who have served our nation in Iraq and Afghanistan,” said Terri Tanielian, co-author of the report.
“Unless they receive appropriate and effective care for these mental health conditions, there will be long-term consequences for them and for the nation.”
“Unfortunately, we found there are many barriers preventing them from getting the high-quality treatment they need,” she added.
The report titled “Invisible Wounds of War: Psychological and Cognitive Injuries, their Consequences, and Services to Assist Recovery”, estimated that the mental problems of the soldiers would cost the country $6.2 billion within two years of their deployment.
The 500-page report was concluded in January after Rand Corporation surveyed a total of 1,965 service members across the country from all branches of the armed forces.