Postservice Mortality in Vietnam Veterans

摘要: Background: During the 1980s, postservice mortality component of Vietnam Experience Study was conducted to examine health effects experience.Thisstudywaslimitedbytherelativelyshort follow-up and young age veterans. Thus, a investigation on this cohort undertaken further assess impact experience chronic conditions. Methods:Vitalstatusandunderlyingcause-of-deathdata (18313 male USArmyveterans)wereretrospectivelyascertainedfrom end original study through 2000. Cox proportionalhazardsregressionwasusedtocalculatecrudeand adjusted rate ratios (RRs) for all-cause causespecific mortality, comparing nonVietnam Results: All-cause 7% higher in vsnon-Vietnamveteransduring30-yearfollow-up(95% confidence interval [CI], 0.97-1.18). The excess among veterans isolated first 5 years after discharge from active duty resulted an increase external causes death (RR, 1.62; 95% CI, 1.16-2.26). Cause-specific analyses revealed no difference disease-related mortality. veterans, however,experiencedexcessunintentionalpoisoning(RR, 2.26;95%CI,1.12-4.57)anddrug-related(RR,1.70;95% 1.01-2.86) deaths throughout follow-up. Conclusions: continued than non-Vietnam unintentionalpoisoningsanddrug-relatedcauses.Death rates conditions, including cancersandcirculatorysystemdiseases,didnotdifferbetween their peers, despite increasing (mean age, 53 years) longer (average, 30 years). Arch Intern Med. 2004;164:1908-1916