Gender Disparities Among Veterans: The High Rate of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Among Women in the Military

The results of war are not limited to mass physical destruction; war's impact also results in psychological damage to service members, both men and women. Despite the enduring psychological trauma with which soldiers are forced to cope, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) remains, at best, an undertreated disorder and, at worst, a disorder that is not treated at all. The sequelae of untreated PTSD may be tragic for all soldiers, but PTSD has different impacts between sexes. This article examines disparities of military PTSD between sexes, and the need for gender-specific services for female veterans is addressed.