Task Force Calls For More 'Evidence Based' Treatment Of Veterans

The assessment tool the Defense and Veterans Affairs departments use to assess cognitive function after a head injury, the Automated Neuropsychological Assessment Metric, lacks clear scientific evidence supporting its effectiveness, says a report from an Institute of Medicine task force.

The report also casts doubt on other treatments utilized by the departments on returning troops from Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as some of the policies surrounding the support extended to them while in the military, during the transition to civilian life and beyond.

The task force notes that while most returning troops have readjusted to post-deployment life, 44 percent have reported difficulties. The force engaged in those wars have included more women, more parents of young children, and more reserve and National Guard troops than previous American conflicts.