HIV/AIDS rate on the rise for Veterans

Often with every war that’s fought, there are unique sets of problems and illnesses that follow veterans home from the battlefield. Today, over 1.6 million men and women have served the U.S. in either Iraq or Afghanistan, with many coming home to face a multitude of challenges. Among these challenges are:

Homelessness:
With today’s veterans often coming home to an economy that was much worse than when they were deployed, there has been an increase in “homelessness.” Times and the Associated Press have both reported that on a given night nearly 200,000 veterans were homeless, a figure that represents roughly ¼ of the homeless population of the US. Often those left homeless are battling a few other battlefield related issues in tandem, most prevalent among them being mental illnesses and drug addiction.

Mental Illness/Alcohol/ Drug Addiction:
Of those homeless vets studied by the Department of Veteran’s Affairs, it is estimated that as high as 45% percent suffer from mental illnesses, while another 75% are fighting drug or alcohol related addictions. The following link offers some answers to frequently asked questions with regards to vets with mental illnesses http://www.mirecc.va.gov/mirecc-faq.asp#6.

Suicides:
With the diminished coping skills that some veterans face, suicide among veterans have seen a dramatic spike, with rates among veterans being as high as twice that of non-vet (based on a CBS News Investigation). Interesting to note is the fact that the age group most affected, are recent US vets in the 20-24 age bracket. The following link offers a “Suicide Assessment” format (http://www.visn3.mirecc.va.gov/my_files/docs/Suicide_Risk_Assessment_presentation.pdf)

HIV/AIDS:
Perhaps more unique to this generation of veterans has been the threat of the HIV virus and AIDS. Partly related to the increase in drug addiction, HIV as a by product of sharing dirty needles or engaging in risky sex is also on the rise among today’s veterans. Some studies have estimated that homeless or veterans with drug addictions can be 2 to 6 times more likely to contract HIV. The US Department of Veterans Affairs though has not yet taken steps against the rise of this new threat, though the agency continues to monitor the situation. Currently though, the VA system is the nations largest provider of HIV-related care, with reports showing that the VA treats more than 23,000 HIV-positive veterans. The following link http://www.hiv.va.gov/ can be used learn more about HIV/AIDS and what the service the VA offers.