Post-combat Trauma

HC Deb 26 February 2002 vol 380 c1146W

Llew Smith

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the paper published in theBritish Medical Journal of 8 February concerning post-conflict trauma. [36467]

Dr. Moonie

The paper "Post-combat Syndromes from the Boer War to the Gulf War: A Cluster Analysis of their Nature and Attribution" is a valuable contribution to understanding post-combat health. The researchers concluded that all modern conflicts have been associated with post-combat disorders characterised by unexplained medical symptoms and that the form that these assume, the terms used to describe them and the explanations offered, seem to be influenced by advances in medical science, changes in the nature of warfare and underlying cultural forces. These findings will be taken into account as we continue to evolve our policies, procedures and practices for managing health issues in the armed forces.