WASHINGTON ? The Institute of Medicine recommended Friday that troops returning from Iraq and Afghanistan undergo annual screening for post-traumatic stress disorder and that federal agencies conduct more research to determine how well the various treatments for PTSD are working.
Of the 2.6 million service members deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan, it?s estimated that 13 percent to 20 percent have PTSD symptoms.
Federal agencies have increasingly dedicated more resources to screen and treat service members, but considerable gaps remain, according to the institute, an independent group of experts that advises the federal government on medical issues. Its recommendations often make their way into laws drafted by Congress and policies implemented by federal agencies.
The Department of Defense provides medical care to active members of the military, and the Department of Veterans Affairs cares for those who no longer serve. Sandro Galea, chairman of the IOM panel, said both departments offer many programs for PTSD.
?But treatment isn?t reaching everyone who needs it, and the departments aren?t tracking which treatments are being used or evaluating how well they work in the long term,? said Galea, a professor and chair of the epidemiology department at Columbia University. ?In addition, DOD has no information on the effectiveness of its programs to prevent PTSD.?
In June, the Dayton Daily News found that 14 mental health positions were being added to VA Medical Centers throughout the state, including two in Dayton.
The Department of Veterans Affairs has promised to accelerate hiring of an additional 1,900 mental health staffers nationwide to handle the increasing demand for services from veterans. Most will be hired within six months, with the remainder by the end of March 2013.
In statements to the Dayton Daily News, the VA and the Defense Department said they have made progress on treating service members and veterans for PTSD.
?VA will further review the report and continue to take actions to improve care for veterans with PTSD and other mental health issues,? the VA said in a statement. ?VA provides routine screening for PTSD to all veterans, and 476,515 veterans with PTSD received treatment in VA medical centers and clinics? in 2011.
The Defense Department, which said it works closely with the VA on the issue, ?recognizes the need for continued improvements, is already taking practical steps to address these issues, and will continue to review the report and take further action to address these recommendations? in compliance with a congressional mandate to improve services by January, according to spokeswoman Cynthia O. Smith.
Barely more than half of those diagnosed with PTSD actually get treatment, often because service members worry it could jeopardize their careers. Also, when they do get care, they?re not tracked to determine which treatments are successful in the long term. The report said the VA treated more than 438,000 veterans for PTSD in 2010, showing evidence of the widespread scope of the problem.
The report concludes only the first phase of the Institute of Medicine study. The panel hopes to release a second report in 2014 that will give more specifics about the number of service members and vets who have PTSD and the outcomes and costs of their treatments.
In a recent speech to mental health providers, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said commanding officers must make it understood that seeking help for the stresses of war should be seen as a sign of strength rather than as a sign of weakness.
PTSD is triggered by a traumatic event, such as being in combat or witnessing death. The symptoms of the illness include a numbing of emotions, difficulty concentrating and exaggerated startled responses to events.
The panel praised the two departments for issuing joint guidelines for managing PTSD, but it?s unknown if their providers adhere to the guidelines. The panel said that primary-care doctors within the VA screen Iraq and Afghanistan veterans annually for symptoms of PTSD, and it recommends that the Defense Department do the same.
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