BOX 6-6IOM Reports on Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in Military and Veteran Populations

• Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: Diagnosis and Assessment (IOM, 2006f): a brief report that responded to a set of specific questions from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), concluding that “health professionals should be aware that veterans, especially those who have served in war theaters, are at risk for the development of PTSD, but might present with physical or psychiatric complaints that are symptomatic of substance use disorder or other psychiatric conditions.”
• PTSD Compensation and Military Service (IOM and NRC, 2007b): the report’s recommendations were designed to “[enact] changes that would improve the fairness, consistency, and scientific foundation of [how the VA evaluates veterans with possible PTSD].”
• Treatment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: An Assessment of the Evidence (IOM, 2008d): this report provided a comprehensive evaluation of the existing literature and research on the treatment of PTSD. The committee “found the evidence inadequate to determine the efficacy of most treatment modalities,” suggesting an urgent need for additional research to produce high-quality data.
• Treatment for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Military and Veteran Populations: Final Assessment (IOM, 2014f): following an initial assessment released in 2012, the final report concluded that the Department of Defense and the VA had made sustained commitments to the treatment and management of PTSD, but also highlighted deficiencies related to standards, reporting, and evaluation and called for additional process and infrastructure improvements.