Current Drug Involvement among Vietnam and Non-Vietnam Veterans

Abstract

Analysis of drug use among Vietnam veterans (N = 105) and a comparison group of non-Vietnam veterans (N = 2,966), included in a 1975 national survey, was used to test two hypotheses. The first was that Vietnam veterans would have higher levels of current drug abuse involvement. The second was that after controlling for demographic differences between these groups, Vietnam veterans would not have substantially higher levels of current drug abuse. These hypotheses were based on independent research findings which indicated (1) Vietnam veterans were in a higher risk group for drug abuse because they were younger and mostly male, (2) Vietnam veterans had high rates of remission from drug abuse shortly after return to the United States, and (3) demographic factors were often important variables in accounting for the incidence of drug abuse in a population. The data for the study were collected in structured, face-to-face, household interviews. The drug abuse involvement index in the study included 12 groups of drugs ranging from over-the-counter drugs to heroin. The index was weighted so that those with higher drug scores were more recent users of addictive substances. Initial analysis confirmed the first hypothesis. When demographic differences were statistically controlled through multiple classification analysis, the second hypothesis was also confirmed. Vietnam veterans had higher levels of current drug abuse primarily because they were younger, more often male, and more educated than the general population. These factors were positively related to drug abuse, so when they were controlled (along with other demographic variables) the prevalence of current drug involvement among these veterans was not substantially higher than the comparison group. Analysis also revealed that Vietnam veterans did not have substantially higher levels of alcohol consumption, once demographic differences were taken into consideration, although consumption was higher among them.