Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-gxg78 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-24T13:07:33.625Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The Vietnam Era Twin (VET) Registry: Ascertainment Bias

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 August 2014

J. Goldberg ,
W. True ,
S. Eisen ,
W. Henderson  and
C.D. Robinette
J. Goldberg*
Affiliation:
University of Illinois School of Public Health, Hines, Illinois, USA Hines VA Cooperative Studies Coordinating Center, Illinois, USA
W. True
Affiliation:
Psychiatry & Research Services, St. Louis VA Medical Center, andSt. Louis University School of Medicine, Missouri, USA
S. Eisen
Affiliation:
Research Service, St. Louis VA Medical Center, andWashington University School of Medicine, USA
W. Henderson
Affiliation:
Hines VA Cooperative Studies Coordinating Center, Illinois, USA
C.D. Robinette
Affiliation:
Medical Follow-up Agency, National Academy of Sciences-National Research Council, Washington, DC, USA
*
Vietnam Era Twin Study, Hines VA CSPCC (151k), Hines, IL 60141, USA

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

An examination of ascertainment bias in identification of twin pairs in the Vietnam Era Twin Registry has been conducted. A complete listing of all male-male Vietnam era veteran twin pairs born in Connecticut between 1939 and 1955 was obtained (N = 150). An attempt was made to match these pairs with a listing of Vietnam era veteran twin pairs derived from the United States Department of Defense's Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC) computer files. The results indicate that the DMDC files identified only 46.7% of the 150 Connecticut born Vietnam era veteran pairs. Statistically significant differences (P < 0.05) between pairs found on the DMDC files and Connecticut veteran pairs missing from the DMDC files are observed for the following variables: a) year of discharge from military service, b) total length of active military service, c) branch of service, and d) foreign service. No consistent pattern of bias is observed for factors related to the physical and psychosocial healt of veteran pairs. The implications of the ascertainment biases in the Vietnam Era Twin Registry are discussed.

Keywords

TwinsRegistriesVietnam WarVeteransAscertainment biasStress disorderspost-traumatic
Type
Research Article
Information
Acta geneticae medicae et gemellologiae: twin research , Volume 36 , Issue 1 , January 1987 , pp. 67 - 78
Copyright
Copyright © The International Society for Twin Studies 1987

References

REFERENCES

1.American Psychiatric Association (1980): Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders III (DSM III). Washington, DC.Google Scholar
2.Boulanger, G, Kadushin, C (1986): The Vietnam Veteran Redefined: Fact and Fiction. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.Google Scholar
3.Card, J (1983): Lives after Vietnam. Lexington, MA: D.C. Heath.Google Scholar
4.Connecticut Division of Health Statistics (1980): Multiple Birth Tape Layout. Unpublished document.Google Scholar
5.Egendorf, A, Kadushin, C, Laufer, RS, Rothbart, G, Sloan, L (1981): Legacies of Vietnam, Vol. 1: Summary of Findings. Washington, DC: US Government Printing Office.Google Scholar
6.Eisen, S, True, W, Goldberg, J, Henderson, W, Robinette, CD (1987): The Vietnam era twin (VET) Registry: method of construction. Acta Genet Med Gemellol 36:61–66.Google Scholar
7.Harris, L (1980): Myths and realities: A study of attitudes toward Vietnam era veterans. Washington, DC: Veterans Administration, Senate Committee.Google Scholar
8.Sonnenberg, SM, JrBlank, AS, Talbott, JA (1985): The Trauma of War: Stress and Recovery in Viet Nam Veterans. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Press, Inc.Google Scholar
9.United States Department of Defense (1982): Defense Manpower Data Center: Data Base Profile and Overwiew. Unpublished document.Google Scholar
10.Unites States, National Archives and Records Service, National Personnel Records Center (1974): Directory of Military Personnel and Related Records. Unpublished document.Google Scholar
11.United States, National Archives and Records Service, National Personnel Records Center (1981): Administrative History of the National Personnel Records Center. Unpublished document.Google Scholar
12.Veterans Administration, Reports and Statistics Service, Office of the Controller (1980): 1979 National Survey of Veterans II, Summary Report.Google Scholar