TBI/PTSD Survey Logs More Than 1,600 Participants

The American Legion’s online survey runs through the month of February

The American Legion.

(WASHINGTON, DC) - An American Legion team of experts held a town hall meeting in Roseburg, Ore. this week for veterans to discuss the quality of VA health care they are receiving. The Legion team also made a site visit to the city's VA medical center, interviewing key administrators and medical staff for a report to be issued later this year.

Since Feb. 3, more than 1,600 veterans have taken advantage of an American Legion online survey for those suffering from traumatic brain injury (TBI) or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

The survey is part of the Legion’s continuing research on the two mental-health issues that, together, affect more than a half-million veterans. In 2010, the Legion created a committee to study treatments used for TBI and PTSD by the private sector, the Department of Defense (DoD) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

The committee’s report, “The War Within,” was issued last September and distributed to members of Congress, senior VA and DoD leadership, and the White House.

“We’re asking veterans to participate in this survey so The American Legion can make more informed recommendations to VA and DoD on how to improve their health care for these conditions,” said Daniel M. Dellinger, the Legion’s national commander.

In some of the Legion survey’s questions, respondents are asked whether their health-care providers have been receptive to using complementary and alternative treatments for TBI and PTSD. Respondents are also asked about any side effects from their treatment and – if they chose to stop receiving it – why they did so.

Data Research Corporation assisted The American Legion in developing questions for the survey.

Dellinger said that mental health care for veterans and servicemembers is a top priority of The American Legion. “We want to hear directly from veterans on their experiences as patients, and whether they believe they are receiving timely and high-quality health care.”

Click here to take the Legion’s online survey, which runs through Feb. 28.