The feds
have just published new statistics showing the
high and rising rate of substance use disorder (SAD) and serious psychological distress (SPD) among new vets.
Combined data from 2004 to 2006 reveal that an annual average of
7 percent of veterans 18 or older (an estimated 1.8 million
persons annually) experienced SPD in the past year. Veterans
aged 18 to 25 were more likely to have had SPD (20.9 percent) than
veterans aged 26 to 54 (11.2 percent) or those aged 55 or older
(4.3 percent).
The data also indicated that female veterans were twice as likely as male
veterans to have had SPD in the past year (14.5 vs. 6.5 percent). Veterans with family incomes of less than $20,000 per year
were more likely to have had SPD in the past year than veterans with
higher family incomes.
A Depressed Workforce
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration says about 7 percent of full-time workers have had an episode of
depression
in the past year.
PsychCentral reports:
Childcare workers had some of the highest rates of depression, as well
as those who care for senior citizens. Called “personal-care workers”
by the government, this segment of the workforce suffered a 11%
incidence of depression.
Bartenders, waiters, waitresses and cooks had the second-highest
rate of depression according to the report, at just over 10%.
Health-care and social workers were tied for third place in the report,
at 9.6%.
Similar to general population statistics for depression, women were
more likely than men to have had a major bout of depression.
The study also found that younger workers had higher rates of depression than their older colleagues.
See stats showing the professions/occupations with highest rates of depression.
See a chart showing the same information.
A Day in the Life of American Youth
Talk about depressing --
look at these new stats about kids and addictive substances:
- On an average day in 2006, youth used the following substances for the first time: 7,970 drank alcohol for the first time, 4,348 used an illicit drug for the first time, 4,082 smoked cigarettes for the first time, 3,577 used marijuana for the first time, and 2,517 used pain relievers nonmedically for the first time.
- Youth who used alcohol in the past month drank an average of 4.7 drinks per day on the days they drank and those who smoked cigarettes in the past month smoked an average of 4.6 cigarettes per day on the days they smoked.
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