Work

Paradoxical age‐related improvement in mental health in U.S. military veterans: Results from the national health and resilience in veterans study

Year: 2022

Type: article

Abstract: OBJECTIVE: To determine whether a seemingly "paradoxical" trend whereby mental health improves as a function of age despite declining physical and cognitive health occurs in U.S. military veterans, who are older, and have higher rates of trauma exposure and psychiatric morbidities relative to non-veterans. METHODS: Using data from a nationally representative, cross-sectional sample of 4069 U.S. veterans, polynomial regression analyses were conducted to examine changes in self-reported physical, cognitive, and mental health of veterans representing the full age spectrum. RESULTS: Physical health scores were consistently average and stable until around age 80 when they declined. In contrast, cognitive and mental health scores were markedly lower in young veterans and then increased linearly and positively well into late-life. CONCLUSIONS: While greater age is associated with relative stability and late-life decline in physical health in U.S. veterans, mental and cognitive health steadily improve until much later in life. Results may help inform age-specific prevention and treatment efforts to promote healthy aging in this population.

Source: International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry

DOI: 10.1002/gps.5804

Authors: Cassie Overstreet, Robert H. Pietrzak

Institutions: Yale University, VA Connecticut Healthcare System

Language: English

Topic: Aging and Gerontology Research

Subfield: Developmental and Educational Psychology

Field: Psychology

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: green

Funders: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, National Center for PTSD, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, National Institute of Mental Health