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The Vietnam Era Twin (VET) Registry: Method of Construction

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 August 2014

S. Eisen ,
W. True ,
J. Goldberg ,
W. Henderson  and
C.D. Robinette
S. Eisen*
Affiliation:
Research Service, St. Louis VA Medical Center, Missouri, andWashington University School of Medicine, USA
W. True
Affiliation:
Psychiatry & Research Services, St. Louis VA Medical Center, andSt. Louis University School of Medicine, Missouri, USA
J. Goldberg
Affiliation:
University of Illinois School of Public Health, Hines, Illinois, USA Hines VA Cooperative Studies Program Coordinating Center, Illinois, USA
W. Henderson
Affiliation:
Hines VA Cooperative Studies Program Coordinating Center, Illinois, USA
C.D. Robinette
Affiliation:
Medical Follow-up Agency, National Academy of Sciences-National Research Council, Washington, DC, USA
*
151A-JB, St. Louis VA Medical Center, St. Louis, MO 63125, USA

Abstract

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A Vietnam Era (1964-1975) Twin Registry of American male-male veterans born between 1939 and 1955 has been developed to provide a study sample for research evaluating the impact of Vietnam service on the medical and psychosocial aspects of health. In preparation for developing the Registry, several alternative sources of twins and methods for identifying twins were investigated. A computerized database of veterans discharged from the military after 1967 was selected as the source because it contains about 50% of the total Vietnam era veteran population, is reasonably unbiased, and provides a feasible method for identifying twins. Twins were identified using an algorithm which involved matching entries on the database for same last name, different first name, same date of birth, and similar social security number. Twin status was confirmed by review of military records. The registry, now complete, is composed of 7,400 twin pairs. It will be an important resource for future research projects.

Keywords

TwinsRegistriesVietnam WarVeterans
Type
Research Article
Information
Acta geneticae medicae et gemellologiae: twin research , Volume 36 , Issue 1 , January 1987 , pp. 61 - 66
Copyright
Copyright © The International Society for Twin Studies 1987

References

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