Mental Health Issues of Iraq Vets

Up to 20 percent of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans may have mental health issues, according to a Rand study. The article on the U.S. News blog reports that some 300,000 troops report symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder or major depression. Slightly more than half have sought treatment, according to the study by Rand.

Rand researchers estimate that PTSD and depression among returning U.S. troops will cost America some $5.2 billion in the first two years after their return. Since 2001, about 1.6 million U.S. troops have been deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan.

Researchers surveyed 1,965 U.S. troops across the country. Half said they had a friend who was seriously wounded or killed, 45 percent said they saw dead or seriously injured civilians, and more than 10 percent said they were personally injured and required hospitalization.