Share of U.S. veterans with health issues during service since 9/11 as of 2020

Published by John Elflein, Feb 10, 2021

Nearly all U.S. veterans and service members who incurred a physical or mental injury, illness, or wound while serving in the military on or after September 11, 2001 and who responded to the annual Wounded Warrior Project Survey in 2020 experienced at least one severe injury or health problem during their post-9/11 military service. This statistic shows the percentage of U.S. veteran and active service respondents experiencing select injuries and health problems during military service after 9/11 as of 2020.

Percentage of U.S. veteran and active service respondents experiencing select injuries and health problems during military service after 9/11 as of 2020*

	Percentage of survey respondents
Sleep problems	83.6%
PTSD (Post-traumatic stress disorder)	82.8%
Anxiety	76.6%
Back, neck, or shoulder problems	74.3%
Depression	72.4%
Tinnitus	58.8%
Knee injuries or problems	52.2%
Migraines/other severe headaches	49.7%
Hearing loss	48.6%
Traumatic brain injury (TBI)	37.3%
Ankle/feet injuries	33.7%
Nerve injuries	27.5%
Head injuries other than traumatic brain injury (TBI)	18.3%
Hand injuries	16.8%
Hip injuries	15.9%
Fractured bones	14.6%
Military sexual trauma	10.9%
Other severe physical injuries	10.7%
Spinal cord injury	9.8%
Shrapnel problems	9.8%
Blind or severe visual loss	5.6%
Amputation	1.9%
Burns (severe)	1.6%
No problems experienced	1.4%

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Release date

September 2020

More information

Region

United States

Survey time period

May 5 to June 19, 2020

Number of respondents

28,282 respondents

Method of interview

Online survey

Supplementary notes

Respondents were members of the Wounded Warrior Project and are veterans and service members who incurred a physical or mental injury, illness, or wound while serving in the military on or after September 11, 2001.

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