Full Citation

Title: Service-Connected Disability and the Veteran Mortality Disadvantage

Citation Type: Journal Article

Publication Year: 2019

ISBN:

ISSN: 0095-327X

DOI: 10.1177/0095327X19884721

NSFID:

PMCID:

PMID:

Abstract: Research consistently reports a veteran mortality disadvantage relative to nonveterans, but has not considered the contribution of service-connected disability to this differential. We use data from the 1986 and 1989 National Health Interview Survey-2011 Linked Mortality Files ( N = 124,122) to estimate multivariate Cox regression models of the association between veteran status and mortality, taking service-connected disability status into account. Bivariate analyses demonstrate higher mortality risk, lower socioeconomic status, and poorer health and functioning among veterans with a service-connected disability than among nonveterans and veterans without a service-connected disability. Multivariate models confirm a mortality disadvantage for all veteran service-connected disability subgroups, which is reduced by the inclusion of exogenous sociodemographic variables and substantially mediated by the health/functional limitation status measures. Results indicate that service-connected disability status accounts for some variation in, and may have a cumulative effect on, the veteran mortality disadvantage. When possible, future research should account for service-connected disability status when studying veteran–nonveteran mortality differentials.

Url: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0095327X19884721

Url: http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0095327X19884721

Url: https://journals-sagepub-com.ezp2.lib.umn.edu/doi/pdf/10.1177/0095327X19884721

User Submitted?: No

Authors: Landes, Scott D.; London, Andrew S.; Wilmoth, Janet M.

Periodical (Full): Armed Forces & Society

Issue: 3

Volume: 47

Pages: 457-479

Data Collections: IPUMS Health Surveys - NHIS

Topics: Health, Other

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