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October 18, 2009

NATO Wounds of War II: Coping with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Returning Troops (English)

"Wounds of War II – Addressing Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in Peacekeeping and Combat Troops,” the latest Advanced Research Workshop in the NATO-sponsored Science for Peace and Security Programme initiative, will be held October 18-21, 2009 in Klopeiner See, Südkärnten, Austria at Hotel Amerika-Holzer.

Leading experts from across Europe and North America will meet to discuss the impact of war-related stress on participants from current and past conflicts, particularly when it results in increased risk and incidence of PTSD. Discussion topics will include increased PTSD as a result of missions, as well as how PTSD may be prevented. Often thought of as an “invisible wound of war,” PTSD may manifest in very visible ways, affecting behavior, relationships and society. "Our hope is that, through this workshop, we can come to understand what programs are already in place for detection, assessment, prevention, and treatment," said organizer Professor Dr. Brenda K. Wiederhold.

The ultimate aim of the workshop is critical assessment of existing knowledge and identification of directions for future actions. Wiederhold, President of the Interactive Media Institute, stressed, "... we can then learn from these existing plans and begin to formulate a more common set of best practices and guidelines which can be implemented throughout organizations in all our countries." Conference co-organizers include Professor Kresimir Cosic and Professor Dragica Kozaric-Kovacic of Zagreb, Croatia and Colonel Carl Castro from the United States.

Additional sponsors of the workshop include the U.S. Army, Medical Research and Materiel Command, Virtual Reality Medical Institute, Austrian Ministry of Defence, University Hospital Dubrava and the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare Croatia. Brigadier General Thomas Starlinger of Klagenfurt, Austria will make opening statements on behalf of the Austrian Ministry of Defence addressing experts from 14 countries.

Background of Interactive Media Institute (IMI)
The Interactive Media Institute is a non-profit organization that dedicates its activities to informing and educating individuals on the application of advanced technologies for patient care on a global scale. IMI maintains offices in San Diego, California, Washington, D.C. and Brussels, Belgium. The organization sponsors national and international workshops, meetings and continuing education courses, approved by the American Psychological Association. IMI is also active in conducting research and clinical trials and specializes in virtual reality, telehealth, videogame virtual reality, and human-computer interaction research. The organization is vigorously working with world leaders who are industry experts in utilizing advanced technologies to treat patients with both mental and physical disorders.

For more information, please visit www.interactivemediainstitute.com.
Contact:
James Cullen
Conference Coordinator
jcullen@vrphobia.com

Jane Jin
PA to Prof. Wiederhold
+1 866 822 8762 (U.S.)
+32 2 286 8505 (Belgium)
jjin@vrphobia.com

Professor Dr. Brenda K Wiederhold
b@vrphobia.eu