Abstract
Traumatic life experiences may have long-term adverse psychological consequences, including illicit drug use. We analyzed data from the 1985–1986 Centers for Disease Control Vietnam Experience Study to investigate this issue. Over 2,400 Vietnam veterans indicated the amount of combat to which they had been exposed, and reported on their drug use while in the Army and during the year interval prior to the interview. Combat exposure was significantly related to recent drug use, even when Army drug use and demographic factors were controlled statistically.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
American Psychiatric Association. (1987).Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (3rd ed., rev.). Washington, DC: Author.
Baron, R. M., & Kenny, D. A. (1986). The moderator-mediator variable distinction in social psychological research: Conceptual, strategic, and statistical considerations.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 51 1173–1182.
Boscarino, J. (1979). Current drug involvement among Vietnam and non-Vietnam veterans.American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, 6 301–312.
Brende, J. O. (1984). An educational-therapeutic group for drug and alcohol abusing combat veterans.Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy, 14 122–136.
Centers for Disease Control Vietnam Experience Study. (1988a). Health status of Vietnam veterans: I. Psychosocial characteristics.Journal of the American Medical Association, 259 2701–2707.
Centers for Disease Control Vietnam Experience Study. (1988b). Health status of Vietnam veterans: II. Physical health.Journal of the American Medical Association, 259 2708–2714.
Centers for Disease Control Vietnam Experience Study. (1989).Health status of Vietnam veterans: Supplement C. Medical and psychological procedure manuals and forms. Atlanta: Centers for Disease Control.
Fischer, V. J. (1991). Combat exposure and the etiology of postdischarge substance abuse problems among Vietnam veterans.Journal of Traumatic Stress, 4 251–277.
Frone, M. R., Barnes, G. M., & Farrell, M. P. (1994). Relationship of work-family conflict to substance use among employed mothers: The role of negative affect.Journal of Marriage and the Family, 56 1019–1030.
Gaziano, J. M., Buring, J. E., Breslow, J. L., Goldhaber, S. Z., Rosner, B., VanDenburgh, M., Willett, W., & Hennekens, C. H. (1993). Moderate alcohol intake, increased levels of high-density lipoprotein and its subfractions, and decreased risk of myocardial infarction.New England Journal of Medicine, 329 1829–1834.
Gimbel, C., & Booth, A. (1994). Why does military combat experience adversely affect marital relations?Journal of Marriage and the Family, 56 691–703.
Helzer, J. E. (1984). The impact of combat on later alcohol use by Vietnam veterans.Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, 16 183–191.
Hosmer, D. W., & Lemeshow, S. (1989).Applied logistic regression. New York: Wiley.
Jelinek, J. M., & Williams, T. (1984). Posttraumatic stress disorder and substance abuse in Vietnam combat veterans: Treatment problems, strategies and recommendations.Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 1 87–97.
Kaylor, J. A., King, D. W., & King, L. A. (1987). Psychological effects of military service in Vietnam: A meta-analysis.Psychological Bulletin, 102 257–271.
King, D. W., & King, L. A. (1991). Validity issues in research on Vietnam veteran adjustment.Psychological Bulletin, 109 107–124.
Laufer, R. S., Gallops, M. S., & Frey-Wouters, E. (1984). War stress and trauma: The Vietnam veteran experience.Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 25 65–85.
National Institute on Drug Abuse. (1988).National household survey on drug abuse: Main findings 1985. Rockville, Maryland: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Penk, W. E., Robinowitz, R., Roberts, W. R., Patterson, E. T., Dolan, M. P., & Atkins, H. G. (1981). Adjustment differences among male substance abusers varying in degree of combat experience in Vietnam.Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 49 426–437.
Ritter, C., Clayton, R. R., & Voss, H. L. (1985). Vietnam military service and marijuana use.American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, 11 119–130.
Robins, L. N., Davis, D. H., & Goodwin, D. W. (1974). Drug use by U. S. Army enlisted men in Vietnam: A follow-up on their return home.American Journal of Epidemiology, 99 235–249.
Robins, L. N., Helzer, J. E., Croughan, J., & Ratcliff, K. S. (1981). National Institute of Mental Health Diagnostic Interview Schedule: Its history, characteristics, and validity.Archives of General Psychiatry, 38 381–389.
Rohrbaugh, M., Eads, G., & Press, S. (1974). Effects of the Vietnam experience on subsequent drug use among servicemen.International Journal of the Addictions, 9 25–40.
U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics (1993).Sourcebook of criminal justice statistics 1992. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.
Wills, T. A. (1990). Stress and coping factors in the epidemiology of substance use. In L. T. Kozlowski, H. M. Annis, H. D. Cappell, F. B. Glaser, M. S. Goodstadt, Y. Israel, H. Kalant, E. M. Sellers, & E. R. Vingiis (Eds.),Research advances in alcohol and drug problems (Vol. 10, pp. 215–250). New York: Plenum Press.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
About this article
Cite this article
Reifman, A., Windle, M. Vietnam combat exposure and recent drug use: A national study. J Trauma Stress 9, 557–568 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02103664
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02103664