Consequences of Serving in Vietnam for Health-Related Behaviors Later in Life
- Presenter:
Chair: Ching-to Albert Ma; Discussant: Christopher Carpenter Tue June 6, 2006 13:45-15:15 Room 313
Studies have shown that men who served in Vietnam were more likely to smoke, drink alcohol, and use other substances later in life than their peers who did not serve. It is not clear to what extent these differences are due to service-related effects or to differences in personal characteristics that cannot be controlled for in analyses (e.g. different preferences regarding health risks, or higher discount rates). We address this issue using an instrumental variable (IV) approach where the IV is based on draft numbers, which were randomly assigned in 1970, 1971, and 1972 to eligible men born between 1944 and 1953 according to their birth dates. This type of analysis has been previously conducted looking at outcomes such as mortality due to accidents and wages. These studies show that because draft numbers are based on random selection of birth dates, groups defined by draft numbers are unlikely to differ significantly by personal characteristics. Data are taken from two sources. First, draft numbers according to birth dates are published in tables by the Selective Service Commission. Second, individuallevel data on smoking habits and other characteristics are taken from all of the annual National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) data sets between 1980 and 2002. These data sets include approximately 3 million observations, of which approximately 200,000 are men who were potentially eligible for the Vietnam drafts (born between 1944 and 1953). We have secured access to restricted NHIS data (with birth dates) via the National Center for Health Statistics’ Research Data Center. Analysis of the data is ongoing. Our findings will improve the understanding of the health-related consequences of military service. This understanding should be helpful for optimizing care for current veterans and making informed decisions related to military service policies.
