UI Carver College of Medicine joins campaign to increase vet healthcare
An act as simple as going to a restaurant can become a harrowing experience for some veterans.
"It makes you feel very on-edge," said Tamara Woods, a pre-doctoral intern for the local Veterans Administration. "They might go to a restaurant, but they have to stand with their back against the wall."
The University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine has joined a new effort led by the Obama administration to devote more resources to research and education about post-traumatic stress disorder. More than 100 other medical schools across the country are participating in the project. There's no money attached to the initiative, but the university receives other grants for PTSD research.
"For some of our men and women, coping with the realities of war long after they've faded is the most difficult struggle they will face yet," first lady Michelle Obama, who is leading the initiative along with Vice President Joe Biden, said last week.
Woods said PTSD occurs when people are exposed to traumatic events in which their lives or safety are threatened or the lives or safety of others close to them are threatened. Some of the most commonly noticed symptoms are those associated with reliving the traumatic event through recurring and distressing memories, dreams, and nightmares.
Woods said people also suffer from "avoidance symptoms."
"One way to avoid thinking about the traumatic memory is by keeping yourself very busy," Woods said. "You will see them working 80-hour weeks so they don't have time to think about [their memories.]"
People suffering from PTSD may also experience hyper-arousal symptoms such as irritability or insomnia. These symptoms all make sense, Woods said, from a "fight or flight" biological perspective of how the body responds to a perceived threat or stress.
Though Woods said almost 20 percent of veterans will be diagnosed with PTSD, those seeking treatment see their symptoms reduced by half.
UI spokesman Tom Moore said education is part of the PTSD research project.
"Medical students serve rotations at the [Veteran's Administration Medical Center] to learn about the issues related to PTSD and post-combat depression," he said. "This clearly benefits the UI related to education opportunities for graduate students and their studies. Sometime in their careers they may encounter patients that are affected by these sorts of issues."
UI Veterans Center coordinator John Mikelson said he is glad medical schools are joining the campaign to help veterans.
"The UIHC and VA Medical Center have had a long tradition of working very closely together for a very long time," he said. "It's a team effort."
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