Stressful and positive experiences of women who served in Vietnam

ABSTRACT

Experiences of women who served during the Vietnam War have been described in interviews/anecdotal reports but rarely in empirical literature. Potential positive (versus negative) aspects of service or its impact on well-being are seldom considered. We describe stressful and positive experiences reported by approximately 1,300 female military personnel, Red Cross workers, and others deployed to Vietnam. Prominent stressful (e.g., negative living/working conditions) and positive (e.g., interpersonal relationships) themes and differences based on trauma history, Vietnam experiences, and group membership are explored. We evaluate associations between themes and psychological well-being. Findings provide insight into experiences of this understudied group of women.

KEYWORDS:

• Older women
• qualitative
• stressful and positive experiences
• Vietnam

Acknowledgments

The views expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official viewpoint of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The authors express appreciation to the Vietnam Women’s Memorial Foundation for its collaboration and to their colleagues in the Stress, Health, and Aging Research Program (SHARP), VA Boston Healthcare System.

Funding

This research was supported in part by the National Academy of Sciences Subcontract NAS-VA-5124-98-001.

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported in part by the National Academy of Sciences Subcontract NAS-VA-5124-98-001.