Prevalence and Correlates of Service-Connected Disability Among U.S. Military Veterans

OBJECTIVE: Veterans with general medical or mental health conditions that were caused or exacerbated by military service may be eligible for U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) service-connected disability compensation, which entails financial support, access to health care, and long-term benefits. Using a contemporary, nationally representative sample of U.S. military veterans, the authors compared the sociodemographic, military, and clinical characteristics of veterans with and of those without service-connected disability and identified factors associated with receipt of benefits for mental health versus general medical conditions. METHODS: Data were analyzed from 2,636 U.S. military veterans who participated in the National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study. Participants reported service-connected disability status, disability rating, and primary service-connected conditions and completed assessments for sociodemographic characteristics, military status, trauma exposure, psychiatric disorders, and general medical conditions. RESULTS: Overall, 39% of veterans reported having a VA service-connected disability. Multivariable analyses indicated that younger age, longer military service, a greater number of deployments, lifetime psychiatric diagnosis, and greater medical burden were independently associated with increased odds of receiving service-connected disability benefits. Having a service-connected psychiatric disability was strongly associated with lifetime psychiatric diagnosis, a greater number of deployments, and military sexual trauma. CONCLUSIONS: A substantial percentage of U.S. veterans receive service-connected disability benefits. Veterans receiving these benefits represent a clinically complex population with substantial cumulative service-related exposures and elevated mental and general medical health burdens. These findings may inform clinical care, resource allocation, and policies aimed at addressing the long-term health needs of veterans with service-connected disabilities.