The U.S. soldiers tend to face more risks compared to other soldiers. The increased deployment in the hostile environment in the bid to maintain world peace and democracy. Since 2001, U.S.soldiers deployment in Afghanistan and Iraq reached over 2.8 million but the aftermath of these deployments are quite distressing (Tanielian, Batka, & Meredith, 2017). The post-deployment life of these soldiers has increased posttraumatic disorders, suicide rates, homelessness, and depression among other mental disorders.
However, even with the start of the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) investing in providing healthcare and enhancing the smooth transition from military to civilian life, the inequity of the mental health care among rural areas is wanting. According to Krisberg (2016), veterans in the rural areas lack the access to quality and specialized VA facilities. The study demonstrated that VA mental facilities tend to focus on the veterans living in the urban areas due to the location and skilled personnel operating in such facilities (Krisberg, 2016). Therefore, living away from a military base or the VA facility widens the mental health access for the veterans. These issues combined with the VA eligibility restrictions leaves over 50% veterans lacking VA care.
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History
The increased deployment periods in Afghanistan and Iraq increased the number of mental disorders among the veterans with the increase of PTSD due to hostility, family instability, physical injuries, and having little or no skills to cater for their needs after their military careers. These factors resulted in the VA formation to help enhance the services to assist the veterans’ transition to civilian lives. However, the strict restrictions that require the nature and length of an individual to acquire the full VA care leave most of the veteran lacking quality healthcare access. Changes by Congress to increase financing in the bid to expand the VA care in the bid to increase accessibility and equity ( Tanielian, Batka, & Meredith, 2017). Nevertheless, most veterans in the rural areas rely on community-based mental health providers who lack the expertise and competence for their conditions. The long problem and shortcomings in the access of quality and affordable mental health care have existed for a long time and the aspects of the rural veterans suffering more than their colleagues in urban areas do are similar to the inequity of health care even for civilians.
Socioeconomic Impacts
The inequity access to quality mental health care amongst veterans in the rural areas have resulted in increased suicide rates, divorce, homelessness, and drug abuse. According to Hester (2017), veterans suicide rates increased by 18% from 2011 to 2014. The high number of suicide even among female veterans of 35 per 100,000 is more than twice the rate of female civilian suicides. The study demonstrated that rural veterans’ lack the access to skilled and competent facility thus choose to seek help from the community-based facilities (Hester, 2017). The study also demonstrated that lack of access and financial power to access health insurance results in desperation thus choosing alcoholism to suppress their pain. The long deployment periods and alcoholism increase divorce leaving the veterans with no support from family and friends. In most divorces, men lose their houses thus increasing the number of homelessness for the male veterans. The essence that there is one soldier per ten males in the U.S. and one homeless veteran in every four homeless individuals demonstrate the magnitude of the problem. Equity and increased accessibility by bridging this gap can limit these socioeconomic challenges.
Conclusion
The inequity and barriers such as distance and strict restrictions on VA care continue to limit the accessibility of quality mental health care for individuals who served the nation and suffered for the due to their patriotism. It is essential to change the rules and facilitate expanded VA care that will reduce the socioeconomic impacts.
References
Hester, R. (2017). Lack of access to mental health services contributing to the high suicide rates among veterans. International Journal Of Mental Health Systems , 11 (1).
Krisberg, K. (2016, September 27). Equity Research Among Veterans Provides Unique Insights. AAMCNEWS . Retrieved September 22, 2018, from https://news.aamc.org/research/article/equit-research-veterans-provides-insight/
Tanielian, T., Batka, C., & Meredith, L. (2017). The Changing Landscape for Veterans' Mental Health Care . Rand Corporation . Retrieved September 22, 2018, from https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_briefs/RB9981z2.html
