How Does the Health of Canadian Veterans Compare to Other Canadians?

What you need to know

• Both male and female veterans reported poorer health across many indicators compared to other Canadians
• Veterans had higher rates of chronic pain, mental health issues, and physical health conditions
• Some health challenges were similar between male and female veterans but differed from the general population
• More research is needed to understand the reasons for these health differences and how to better support veterans

Comparing Veteran Health to the General Population

Veterans make up about 3% of the adult population in Canada. Their experiences during military service and the transition to civilian life can impact their long-term health and well-being in ways that are not fully understood. To gain more insight, researchers compared various health indicators between Canadian veterans and the general population.

The study looked at veterans who had served in the Regular Force and left the military between 1998 and 2015. Their health information came from a 2016 survey of veterans. This was compared to health data on other Canadians from a national health survey. The researchers analyzed the results separately for males and females.

Physical Health Findings

Back problems and chronic pain were the most commonly reported chronic conditions for both male and female veterans. Compared to other Canadians, veterans of both sexes reported higher rates of:

• Back problems
• Chronic pain
• Arthritis
• Migraines
• Gastrointestinal issues
• Hearing problems

Male veterans also had higher rates of cardiovascular disease and high blood pressure compared to other Canadian men.

These findings align with research in other countries showing veterans tend to have more musculoskeletal issues and pain. The physical demands and potential injuries during military service likely contribute to these long-term effects.

Mental Health Findings

Veterans faced more mental health challenges compared to other Canadians. Both male and female veterans reported higher rates of:

• Fair or poor mental health
• Mood disorders like depression
• Anxiety disorders
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Lifetime suicidal thoughts

About 20% of male veterans and 28% of female veterans rated their mental health as fair or poor, compared to only 6-7% of other Canadians. The rate of diagnosed mood disorders was about 3 times higher in veterans.

These mental health disparities have been found in other research on veteran populations as well. The stresses of military service and transitioning out of the military may increase the risk of mental health issues for many veterans.

Functional Limitations

The study also looked at how health impacted daily functioning. Compared to other Canadians, veterans were more likely to report:

• Fair or poor overall health
• Needing help with daily activities

About 19% of male veterans and 31% of female veterans said they needed assistance with at least one daily activity, compared to only 6-10% of other Canadians. This suggests the health issues veterans face may have a significant impact on their day-to-day lives.

Comparing Male and Female Veterans

While both male and female veterans faced more health challenges than other Canadians, there were some differences between the sexes:

• Male veterans reported more hearing problems and cardiovascular disease than female veterans
• Female veterans had higher rates of migraines, mood and anxiety disorders, and needing help with daily activities

However, male and female veterans had similar rates of some conditions that differ by sex in the general population. For example, female non-veterans report more chronic pain than males, but male and female veterans had similar chronic pain rates.

This suggests military service may impact health in ways that are sometimes similar for men and women, even if there are differences in the general population. The shared experiences of military life could lead to some common health effects regardless of sex.

Why Do These Differences Exist?

This study was not designed to determine the exact reasons for the health disparities between veterans and other Canadians. However, there are several factors that likely contribute:

• Physical demands and potential injuries during military service
• Exposure to stressful or traumatic events
• Challenges transitioning from military to civilian life
• Differences in healthcare access and health behaviors

The impacts of military service on long-term health are complex and can vary for each individual. More research is needed to better understand the causes of these health differences and how to address them.

Limitations of the Research

There are a few important limitations to keep in mind about this study:

• It only included veterans who left the military between 1998-2015, so it doesn’t represent all Canadian veterans
• The data was self-reported, which can be affected by differences in how people perceive and report their health
• As a cross-sectional study looking at one point in time, it can’t show how health changes over time after leaving the military
• The number of female veterans in the study was relatively small, limiting the conclusions that can be drawn

Despite these limitations, the findings provide valuable insights into how veterans’ health compares to other Canadians. The results are also largely consistent with veteran health research in other countries.

Conclusions

• Both male and female veterans face more physical and mental health challenges compared to other Canadians across a range of indicators
• Some health issues, like chronic pain and mental health conditions, appear to affect male and female veterans at similar rates
• More research is needed to understand the reasons for these health differences and how they change over time
• The findings highlight the importance of veteran-specific health services and support to address their unique needs

This research sheds light on the health status of Canadian veterans compared to the general population. While many veterans transition successfully to civilian life, the results suggest veterans as a group face more health challenges that can impact their daily functioning and quality of life. Understanding these differences is an important step toward better supporting the long-term health and well-being of those who have served in the military.