Grant Winner Dr Sarangan Ketheesan and his research: Veterans with PTSD: Stress, Allostatic Load and Substance Use

Dr Sarangan Ketheesan is a RANZCP Trainee at The Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital and one of the recipients of the 2023 Beverly Raphael New Investigator Grant recipients for his project Stress, Allostatic Load and Substance Use in Defence Force Veterans with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

About the project

Allostatic Load” (AL) can be conceptualised as the cumulative “wear and tear” exerted on the body as a result of repeated stressors. AL can be measured through a composite index of biomarker measurements. Early measurement of AL can lead to the nuanced prediction of adverse health outcomes. This project aims to measure AL in combat-exposed Vietnam Veterans, a subset of whom have developed Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) with a second group having not developed PTSD. The project will utilise data that has been collected by the Gallipoli Medical Research Foundation in their Vietnam Veteran Study. Statistical techniques will be utilised to calculate AL in both PTSD and non-PTSD groups, to examine increased AL as a risk factor for PTSD and health risk behaviours such as substance use. 

Grant

The Beverly Raphael New Investigator Grant is designed to encourage those who are new to research and require a small amount of funding to conduct a small-scale study.

Value

The program provides a number of small grants of between A$500 and A$6000 annually.