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Invisible Wounds of War
Since October 2001, approximately 1.6 million U.S. troops have been deployed for Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom in Afghanistan and Iraq. Early evidence suggests that many returning service members may be suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and depression. Traumatic brain injury is also a major concern. But there is limited evidence about the scope of the problem or the most effective treatments.
RAND assessed the post-deployment health-related needs associated with post-traumatic stress disorder, major depression, and traumatic brain injury; examined the treatment capacity of the current health care system, and estimated the costs of providing quality health care to all military members who need it. The work was funded by a grant from the Iraq Afghanistan Deployment Impact Fund Project, which is administered by the California Community Foundation, a nonprofit organization.
Details of RAND's study are described in Invisible Wounds of War: Psychological and Cognitive Injuries, Their Consequences, and Services to Assist Recovery.
A companion volume, Invisible Wounds of War: Summary and Recommendations for Addressing Psychological and Cognitive Injuries, offers specific recommendations for addressing PTSD, major depression, and TBI among veterans of Afghanistan and Iraq.
Publications
Improving Mental Health Care for Returning Veterans — May 17, 2009
Invisible Wounds of War: Psychological and Cognitive Injuries, Their Consequences, and Services to Assist Recovery — April 17, 2008
News Release 
Full Document Research Brief 
Media Interview 
RAND Review
Invisible Wounds of War: Summary and Recommendations for Addressing Psychological and Cognitive Injuries — April 17, 2008
Post Deployment Stress: What You Should Know, What You Can Do — April 17, 2008
Post Deployment Stress: What Families Should Know, What Families Can Do — April 17, 2008
Educating Military Personnel and Their Families About Post-Deployment Stress — June 12, 2008
Predicting the Immediate and Long-Term Consequences of Mental Health Problems in Veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom — April 28, 2008
Testimony
Assessing Combat Exposure and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in Troops and Estimating the Costs to Society: Implications from the RAND Invisible Wounds of War Study — March 24, 2009
Testimony presented before the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs on March 24, 2009.
Invisible Wounds of War: Quantifying the Societal Costs of Psychological and Cognitive Injuries — June 12, 2008
Testimony presented before the Joint Economic Committee on June 12, 2008.
Invisible Wounds of War: Summary of Key Findings on Psychological and Cognitive Injuries — June 11, 2008
Testimony presented before the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs on June 11, 2008.
Invisible Wounds of War: Recommendations for Addressing Psychological and Cognitive Injuries — June 11, 2008
Testimony presented before the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs on June 11, 2008.
Project Contact
This project was codirected by Terri Tanielian and Lisa Jaycox. For more information, please contact them at:
- Terri Tanielian territ@rand.org and
- Lisa Jaycox jaycox@rand.org
or at the RAND Corporation, (703) 413-1100.
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