The impact of combat on veteran well-being

Citation

Ackerman, Adam (2018). The impact of combat on veteran well-being.

Abstract

Combat experiences can have formative effects on a veteran’s beliefs and behaviors that change well-being in unforeseen ways. This dissertation estimates the impacts of (i) service in war environments and (ii) exposure to traumatic events on three well-being aspects—sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), financial problems (such as bankruptcy), and homelessness—in surviving deployed veterans. Estimations use 1994–2016 data from the National Longitudinal Study from Adolescent to Adult Health and Millennium Cohort Study, information theoretic methods relying upon minimal assumptions, and exogenous variation resulting from deployment location assignments. Estimations considering only the broader level location assignment, service in a war environment, do not explain individual changes in well-being; however, estimations with the more refined location assignment reveal links between a deployed veteran’s exposure to traumatic events and increases in STDs, financial problems, and homelessness. Estimated average effects of combat exposure on each well-being aspect are robust to controls for pre-deployment characteristics, time spent deployed and physical harm. Harmful effects of combat exposure on financial problems and homelessness increase with multiple exposures and poorer pre-deployment health. Harmful effects of combat exposure on STDs appear partly due to increases in substance use and the number of sexual partners, a proxy for relationship stability. Results are relevant to discussions regarding resource needs for military readiness and individuals with past traumatic exposure or increased risk for future traumatic exposure.

URL

http://libproxy.lib.unc.edu/login?url=https://search.proquest.com/docview/2088422991?accountid=14244

Keyword(s)

Social sciences

Notes

ProQuest document ID 2088422991

Reference Type

Thesis/Dissertation

Book Title

Economics

Author(s)

Ackerman, Adam

Series Author(s)

Golan, Amos

Year Published

2018

Volume Number

10837357

Pages

138

Publisher

American University

City of Publication

Ann Arbor, MI

ISSN/ISBN

9780438227255

DOI

9780438227255

Reference ID

7465