Trends in disability and program participation among U.S. veterans

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Veterans Affairs
• Disability Policy

Background:

• Disability is a growing concern for veterans, necessitating research into its effects on benefit program participation.
• Understanding the interplay between service-connected disability compensation, self-reported disability, and social security disability programs is crucial for veterans.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare trends in Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) disability compensation receipt with self-reported disability and Social Security Disability Insurance (DI)/Supplemental Security Income (SSI) participation among veterans.
• To analyze changes in these trends between 2002 and 2013, comparing veterans to nonveterans.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the 2002-2013 Current Population Survey.
• Described trends in VA disability compensation receipt.
• Compared trends in self-reported disability and DI/SSI participation between veterans and nonveterans.

Main Results:

• A substantial increase in VA disability compensation receipt was observed among veterans from 2002-2013, particularly in younger and older age groups.
• Self-reported disability rose among younger and older veterans (2009-2013), with a notable increase in cognitive disability among young veterans.
• Participation in DI/SSI increased more among older veterans than nonveterans during the study period.

Conclusions:

• Policy interventions are needed to enhance labor force participation for young veterans, including skills development and access to support services like psychiatric care.
• Older veterans face increasing labor market difficulties; further research is required to identify the causes, such as health issues, skill gaps, or incentive misalignments.