For many veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan, the war never ends. Dogged by post-traumatic stress disorder, many also have drug and alcohol problems. In the latest issue of Uniken, we hear how UNSW research is helping change their lives.
For many veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan, the war never ends.
Dogged by post-traumatic stress disorder, many also have drug and alcohol problems.
UNSW researchers are involved in an American trial to turn around their lives by treating the problems simultaneously.
The five-year, $2.1 million treatment trial is starting this month with 90 veterans and if successful, will be offered at veterans' medical centres around the country.
"For a long time there has been nothing to really help this group of people suffering two or more very serious disorders," says Dr Katherine Mills, Senior Lecturer at the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre.
Read more on pages 12 and 13 of the July-August issue of Uniken.
Also in this issue, UNSW palentologists uncover 15-million-year old fossils, perfectly preserved in this country's first discovery of amber. See some of the precious material and the ancient beetle on pages 8 and 9.
We also head to Papua New Guinea, where molecular biologists believe they have found the secret behind successful bush medicines (pages 10 and 11).
Media contact: Susi Hamilton, Editor | 9385 1583 | susi.hamilton@unsw.edu.au