The most common health issue for Veterans from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan is:
A) Traumatic brain injury
B) Chronic pain
C) Posttraumatic stress disorder
D) Polytrauma

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Compared to other conflicts, recent advances in battlefield medicine and protective armor have improved the ability of OIF/OEF Veterans to survive common mechanisms of injury, including small-arms fire and explosive munitions (e.g., blasts from improvised explosive devices [IEDs]). Although lives have been saved, polytrauma, defined as "two or more injuries to physical regions or organ systems one of which may be life threatening, resulting in physical, cognitive, psychological, or psychosocial impairments and functional disability" have become the signature injuries of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan (VA, n.d., para. 2). The "polytrauma triad" of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), chronic pain, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have proven to be a difficult diagnostic and therapeutic challenge for the current medical system (Cifu et al., 2014). To address these challenges, the VHA Polytrauma System of Care has been established to provide an integrated network of specialized rehabilitation programs dedicated to serving Veterans and service members with both combat- and civilian-related traumatic brain injury (TBI) and polytrauma.

The Most Common Health Issue for Veterans from the Wars