Veterans Administration hospitals provide care to millions of veterans in the United States. As the US population increases, veterans may experience neurologic diseases specific to older age, including Parkinson’s disease (PD). Veterans have may have additional stressors related to their military experiences, leading to psychiatric disorders.

Three hundred and sixty-eight United States veterans’ medical records were randomly selected from 1220 movement disorder patients evaluated at the James A. Haley Veteran’s Hospital in Tampa, Florida (JAH) over a 3 year period. Movement disorder patients had been formally evaluated by neurologists, movement disorder experts, and psychiatrists who were employed at the VA.

The mean age of patients was 72.8 years, (SD 9.7, range 24 to 97 years). 50% of patients had a diagnosis of PD, while 43% had essential tremor (ET) (other diagnoses included Restless Legs Syndrome, Tardive Dyskinesia, and Myoclonus). Two-thirds (66%) of movement disorder patients carried at least one psychiatric diagnosis, of which depression was most common in PD and ET patients (40% in PD patients and 30% in ET patients). Twenty-four percent of all patients, 23% of PD patients, and 20% of ET patients had been diagnosed with PTSD. Fourteen percent of all patients, 16% of PD patients, and 12% of ET patients had experienced either one suicide attempt or suicidal ideation.

United States veterans with movement disorders in this sample experienced a high prevalence of mental health disorders. Twenty-five percent of patients also experienced PTSD and 14% had suicidal ideation or a suicidal attempt. Both PD and ET patients frequently suffer from mental health issues. Mental health screening at each visit for PTSD and suicidal ideation is paramount for US veterans.