Veteran Wellbeing: Insights into Help-Seeking and Access to Social Work Health Services

Background: Recent global instability has exposed a new generation of Australian service members to conflict-related traumas. Over half of those now transitioning out of service suffer debilitating health conditions linked to military service. Despite efforts to foster improvement within military culture, pervasive stigmatising attitudes toward injury, especially mental ill health, persist among many veterans. The impact of these attitudes on the veteran’s help-seeking behaviour impedes their access to and utilisation of preventative social work health services.

Aims: The research aims to explore the impact of military culture on veterans' help-seeking behaviour and their pursuit of injury recognition with the Department of Veterans' Affairs.

Methods: This 2023 study represents the first international research endeavour to analyse data from injured veterans (n = 150) participating in an advocacy support service, sourced from the Returned and Services League of Australia.

Results: The analysis revealed significant findings regarding veterans' help-seeking behaviour. Veterans reporting mental health illnesses exhibited the longest delay, waiting on average 18.3 years after leaving the Australian Defence Force before seeking assistance from an advocate. Conversely, those reporting physical injuries only experienced a delay of 15.8 years. Interestingly, there was notable variation based on veteran sex, with delays increasing for male veterans across all assessed categories while significantly decreasing by almost half for female veterans.

Conclusion: The military experience instils attitudes and behaviours that discourage help-seeking, often enduring long after discharge. This reluctance to seek help can delay veterans' access to crucial healthcare funding from the Department of Veterans' Affairs, hindering their utilisation of essential social work services designed to assist them in managing their health challenges. Consequently, this can result in poorer outcomes and an increased risk of suicide among this vulnerable population.

Session Summary:

This session will explore a key 2023 study that investigates the influence of military culture on Australian veterans’ help-seeking behaviour and their pursuit of injury recognition with the Department of Veterans’ Affairs. The research highlights that military service exposes individuals to high trauma risks, resulting in many transitioning veterans suffering from service-related health conditions. Despite ongoing efforts to address military culture, stigma surrounding health issues, particularly mental health, continues to deter veterans from seeking help and limits their access to essential social work services.

The study, drawing on data from 150 injured veterans receiving advocacy support through the Returned and Services League of Australia, reveals that veterans experience significant delays before seeking help—averaging 19 .9 years after leaving service.

Attendees will gain a comprehensive understanding of how entrenched military attitudes affect veterans’ access to healthcare, discover significant sex-based differences in help-seeking behaviour, and learn how these issues contribute to delays in obtaining crucial support services. This session is essential for anyone involved in veteran care, social work, or advocacy, offering practical insights to improve support strategies and outcomes for veterans.