Massachusetts' post-traumatic stress disorder program: a public health treatment model for Vietnam veterans

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can be a serious aftermath of catastrophic events such as war. The incidence of PTSD appears to be high among Vietnam veterans. PTSD can be extremely disruptive to a person's physical and mental well-being, family life, social relationships, and employment status. Yet, for a variety of reasons, many Vietnam veterans suffering from PTSD have remained undiagnosed or insufficiently treated. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health, in cooperation with the Massachusetts Department of Veterans Services, initiated a hospital-based treatment and rehabilitation program for Vietnam veterans who have PTSD. As of November 1989, 150 Vietnam veterans had been admitted to this program.