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Combellick JL, Esmaeili A, Johnson AM, Haskell SG, Phibbs CS, Manzo L, Miller LJ. Perinatal mental health and pregnancy-associated mortality: opportunities for change. Arch Womens Ment Health 2024; 27:417-424. [PMID: 38172275 DOI: 10.1007/s00737-023-01404-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Perinatal mental health conditions have been associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes, including maternal death. This quality improvement project analyzed pregnancy-associated death among veterans with mental health conditions in order to identify opportunities to improve healthcare and reduce maternal deaths. Pregnancy-associated deaths among veterans using Veterans Health Administration (VHA) maternity care benefits between fiscal year 2011 and 2020 were identified from national VHA databases. Deaths among individuals with active mental health conditions underwent individual chart review using a standardized abstraction template adapted from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Thirty-two pregnancy-associated deaths were identified among 39,720 paid deliveries with 81% (n = 26) occurring among individuals with an active perinatal mental health condition. In the perinatal mental health cohort, most deaths (n = 16, 62%) occurred in the late postpartum period and 42% (n = 11) were due to suicide, homicide, or overdose. Opportunities to improve care included addressing (1) racial disparities, (2) mental health effects of perinatal loss, (3) late postpartum vulnerability, (4) lack of psychotropic medication continuity, (5) mental health conditions in intimate partners, (6) child custody loss, (7) lack of patient education or stigmatizing patient education, and (8) missed opportunities for addressing reproductive health concerns in mental health contexts. Pregnancy-associated deaths related to active perinatal mental health conditions can be reduced. Mental healthcare clinicians, clinical teams, and healthcare systems have opportunities to improve care for individuals with perinatal mental health conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joan L Combellick
- Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration, Office of Women's Health, 810 Vermont Ave NW, Washington, DC, 20420, USA.
- VA Connecticut Healthcare System, 950 Campbell Ave, West Haven, CT, 06516, USA.
- School of Nursing, Yale University, 400 West Campus Drive, Orange, CT, 06477, USA.
| | - Aryan Esmaeili
- Health Economics Resource Center (HERC), Palo Alto VA Medical Center, 795 Willow Road, Menlo Park, Palo Alto, CA, 94025, USA
| | - Amanda M Johnson
- Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration, Office of Women's Health, 810 Vermont Ave NW, Washington, DC, 20420, USA
| | - Sally G Haskell
- Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration, Office of Women's Health, 810 Vermont Ave NW, Washington, DC, 20420, USA
- VA Connecticut Healthcare System, 950 Campbell Ave, West Haven, CT, 06516, USA
- School of Medicine, Yale University, 333 Cedar St, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA
| | - Ciaran S Phibbs
- Health Economics Resource Center (HERC), Palo Alto VA Medical Center, 795 Willow Road, Menlo Park, Palo Alto, CA, 94025, USA
- Stanford University School of Medicine, 453 Quarry Road, Palo Alto, CA, 94304, USA
| | - Laura Manzo
- School of Nursing, Yale University, 400 West Campus Drive, Orange, CT, 06477, USA
- US Army, AMEDD Student Detachment, 187th Medical Battalion, Joint Base San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, 78234, USA
| | - Laura J Miller
- Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration, Women's Mental Health, Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention, 810 Vermont Ave NW, Washington, DC, 20420, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stritch School of Medicine, Loyola University, 2160 South First Avenue, Maywood, IL, 60153, USA
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Nichter B, Hill ML, Maguen S, Norman SB, Fischer IC, Pietrzak RH. Health and psychiatric impairment associated with moral injury, military sexual trauma, and their co-occurrence in U.S. combat veterans. J Psychosom Res 2024; 179:111617. [PMID: 38394711 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2024.111617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2023] [Revised: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 02/17/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Military sexual trauma (MST) and moral injury (MI) are associated with adverse psychiatric and health outcomes among military veterans. However, no known population-based studies have examined the incremental burden associated with the co-occurrence of these experiences relative to either alone. METHOD Cross-sectional data were analyzed from the National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study, a nationally representative sample of 1330 U.S. combat veterans. Veterans reported on history of exposure to MST and potentially morally injurious events (PMIEs). Analyses estimated the lifetime prevalence of MST only, PMIEs only, and co-occurring MST and PMIEs; and examined associations between MST/PMIEs status and psychiatric and physical health comorbidities, functioning, and suicidality. RESULTS The lifetime weighted prevalence of exposure to MST only, PMIEs only, and co-occurring MST and PMIEs were 2.7%, 32.3%, and 4.5%, respectively. Compared with all other groups, the co-occurring MST + PMIEs group reported greater severity of posttraumatic stress, depression, generalized anxiety, and insomnia symptoms. They also scored lower on measures of physical, mental, and psychosocial functioning, and reported a greater number of chronic medical conditions and somatic complaints. Veterans with co-occurring MST + PMIEs were more than twice as likely as those with MST only to report past-year suicidal ideation. CONCLUSIONS The co-occurrence of MST and MI is associated with a greater psychiatric and health burden among combat veterans than either experience alone. Results underscore the importance of assessing and treating MST and MI in this population. Findings underscore the importance for future work to parse overlap between morally salient aspects of MST and the concept of moral injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brandon Nichter
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States of America.
| | - Melanie L Hill
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
| | - Shira Maguen
- San Francisco VA Health Care System, San Francisco, CA, United States of America; University of California - San Francisco, San Francisco, United States of America
| | - Sonya B Norman
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States of America; VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, USA; National Center for PTSD, White River Junction, VT, United States of America
| | - Ian C Fischer
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States of America; National Center for PTSD, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA
| | - Robert H Pietrzak
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States of America; National Center for PTSD, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA; Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, United States of America
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Hein TC, Austin K, Grau PP, Keith JA, Claes NJ, Bowersox NW. Predictors of non-fatal suicide attempts among Veterans Health Administration (VHA) patients who experienced military sexual trauma. Suicide Life Threat Behav 2024; 54:263-274. [PMID: 38421037 DOI: 10.1111/sltb.13038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2023] [Revised: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Military sexual trauma (MST) has been identified as a risk factor for suicidal behavior. To inform suicide prevention efforts within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), this study evaluates predictors of non-fatal suicide attempts (NFSAs) among VHA patients who experienced MST. METHODS For VHA patients in fiscal year (FY) 2019 who previously screened positive for a history of MST, documented NFSAs were assessed. Using multivariable logistic regression, demographic, clinical, and VHA care utilization predictors of NFSAs were assessed. RESULTS Of the 212,215 VHA patients who screened positive for MST prior to FY 2019 and for whom complete race, service connection, and rurality information was available, 1742 (0.8%) had a documented NFSA in FY 2019. In multivariable logistic regression analyses, total physical and mental health morbidities were not associated with NFSA risk. Predictors of a documented NFSA included specific mental health diagnoses [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) range: 1.28-1.94], receipt of psychotropic medication prescriptions (aOR range: 1.23-2.69) and having a prior year emergency department visit (aOR = 1.32) or inpatient psychiatric admission (aOR = 2.15). CONCLUSIONS Among VHA patients who experienced MST, specific mental health conditions may increase risk of NFSAs, even after adjustment for overall mental health morbidity. Additionally, indicators of severity of mental health difficulties such as receipt of psychotropic medication prescriptions and inpatient psychiatric admissions are also associated with increased risk above and beyond risk associated with diagnoses. Findings highlight targets for suicide prevention initiatives among this vulnerable group within VHA and may help identify patients who would benefit from additional support.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tyler C Hein
- Department of Veterans Affairs, Serious Mental Illness Treatment Resource and Evaluation Center (SMITREC), Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention (11MHSP), Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
- TRAILS, a Project of Tides Center, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Karen Austin
- Department of Veterans Affairs, Serious Mental Illness Treatment Resource and Evaluation Center (SMITREC), Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention (11MHSP), Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Peter P Grau
- Department of Veterans Affairs, Serious Mental Illness Treatment Resource and Evaluation Center (SMITREC), Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention (11MHSP), Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
- VA Center for Clinical Management Research (CCMR), Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Jessica A Keith
- Department of Veterans Affairs, Military Sexual Trauma Support Team, Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention (11MHSP), Washington, DC, USA
- College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, USA
| | - Nathan J Claes
- Department of Veterans Affairs, Military Sexual Trauma Support Team, Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention (11MHSP), Washington, DC, USA
| | - Nicholas W Bowersox
- Department of Veterans Affairs, Serious Mental Illness Treatment Resource and Evaluation Center (SMITREC), Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention (11MHSP), Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
- VA Center for Clinical Management Research (CCMR), Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
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Dichter ME, Agha AZ, Monteith LL, Krishnamurti LS, Iverson KM, Montgomery AE. "Something Has to Be Done to Make Women Feel Safe": Women Veterans' Recommendations for Strengthening the Veterans Crisis Line for Women Veterans. Womens Health Issues 2024; 34:180-185. [PMID: 38199835 DOI: 10.1016/j.whi.2023.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2023] [Revised: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Women represent 15% of veteran callers to the Veterans Crisis Line (VCL); there has been little research identifying the experiences and needs of women veterans who use the VCL. The objective of this study was to identify women veterans' experiences with and recommendations for strengthening VCL services for women. METHOD We conducted qualitative interviews with 26 women veterans across the United States who had contacted the VCL in the preceding year. Interviews were conducted by telephone in 2022 and were audio recorded and transcribed. A team-based content analysis approach was used to identify participants' concerns around contacting the VCL and recommendations for strengthening the service. RESULTS Interviews revealed women veterans' concerns with regard to contacting the VCL related to responder gender, appropriateness of VCL services for veterans not at imminent risk for suicide, and potential consequences of contacting the VCL. Key recommendations included letting veterans select the gender of the responder who takes their call, providing more information to potential callers about what to expect from VCL calls, and raising awareness about and maintaining options for caller anonymity. CONCLUSIONS This study uniquely focused on women veterans' experiences and perspectives, in their own voices. Findings point to trauma-informed approaches supporting women veteran callers to the VCL and may also hold implications for other similar crisis hotline services.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa E Dichter
- Center for Health Equity Research and Promotion, Crescenz VA Medical Center, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; College of Public Health, Temple University School of Social Work, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
| | - Aneeza Z Agha
- Center for Health Equity Research and Promotion, Crescenz VA Medical Center, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Lindsey L Monteith
- Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center for Veteran Suicide Prevention, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Denver, Colorado; Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Denver, Colorado
| | - Lauren S Krishnamurti
- Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center for Veteran Suicide Prevention, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Denver, Colorado
| | - Katherine M Iverson
- National Center for PTSD, Women's Health Sciences Division, VA Boston Healthcare System, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Ann Elizabeth Montgomery
- Birmingham VA Health Care System, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Birmingham, Alabama; School of Public Health, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama
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Bulanchuk N, Edwards E, Pietrzak RH, Tsai J. The mediating role of social support in associations between childhood adversity, military sexual trauma, and homelessness in a nationally representative sample of US veterans. JOURNAL OF COMMUNITY PSYCHOLOGY 2024; 52:399-414. [PMID: 38289875 DOI: 10.1002/jcop.23105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2022] [Revised: 02/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/17/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
Among veterans, availability of social support and histories of military sexual trauma (MST) and/or adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are particularly salient correlates of homelessness. Using path analyses, we investigated whether social support (i.e., interpersonal social support and community integration) would at least partially account for the relationships of MST and ACEs with any lifetime homelessness in a large, nationally representative sample of veterans (N = 4069, 9.8% female). Interpersonal social support and community integration partially explained the relationship between ACEs and any lifetime homelessness. However, they did not mediate the relationship between MST and any lifetime homelessness. Female veterans also reported higher trauma rates and lower perceived social support than male counterparts during correlational analyses. These results reinforce existing literature on the importance of research and interventions tailored to veterans with low social support and integration. Results have potential to inform interventions and policy for veterans experiencing and/or at risk for homelessness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Bulanchuk
- Department of Counseling and Clinical Psychology, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
- Department of Veterans Affairs, VISN 2 MIRECC, Bronx, New York, USA
| | - Emily Edwards
- Department of Veterans Affairs, VISN 2 MIRECC, Bronx, New York, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Robert H Pietrzak
- Department of Veterans Affairs, National Center for PTSD, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Jack Tsai
- Department of Veterans Affairs, National Center for Homelessness Among Veterans, San Antonio, Texas, USA
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Braun TD, Bhuptani PH, O’Keefe B, Abrantes AM, Marsh E, Holzhauer CG. Mindful self-compassion for veteran women with a history of military sexual trauma: feasibility, acceptability, potential benefits, and considerations. Eur J Psychotraumatol 2024; 15:2301205. [PMID: 38349003 PMCID: PMC10866049 DOI: 10.1080/20008066.2023.2301205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 12/08/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Background: Military sexual trauma (MST) is reported by up to 74% of women veterans in the United States and is a driver of poor behavioural and physical health. Self-compassion is a transdiagnostic, protective factor linked with improved posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and health behaviours. Thus, Mindful Self-Compassion training (MSC) may help ameliorate MST-related impacts. However, MSC can also temporarily increase distress (i.e. backdraft). Delivering it with elective trauma-informed yoga (TIY), which regulates acute distress, may help address this issue.Objective: This VA quality improvement project examined feasibility, acceptability, and reported benefits and challenges of a manualized 8-week MSC including within non-randomized subgroups: MSC (n = 4) and MSC+ elective TIY classes (MSC+; n = 4).Methods: Nine women veterans with a history of MST at a Vet Center in the Northeastern U.S.A. enrolled; eight completed, excluding one MSC+ participant. Measures included attrition (n = 9), attendance (n = 8), weekly (n = 8) and posttreatment acceptability (n = 6), validated symptom severity assessments (n = 7), and an exit interview (n = 8).Results: Among completers, MSC attendance was excellent (89%) and higher among in MSC+ vs. MSC (94% vs. 84% sessions completed). On average across the two groups, depressive and PTSD symptom severity decreased by 21% and 30%, respectively. In exit interviews, participants across groups described improved coping with distress and psychiatric symptoms, reduced stress, and improved self-care and health behaviours. Although women in both groups reported backdraft during the programme, MSC+ also reported healthier coping and improved emotional processing.Conclusion: The results of this programme evaluation infer MSC may be feasible, acceptable, and beneficial for women survivors of MST in one Vet Center in the Northeastern USA. Further, temporary elevations in MSC-related distress may be ameliorated with adjunctive TIY. Given requests of women veterans in the USA. for additional complementary and integrative health treatment options, formal research on these approaches is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tosca D. Braun
- Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
- Butler Hospital, Providence, RI, USA
- VA Central Western Massachusetts, Leeds, MA, USA
| | - Prachi H. Bhuptani
- Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
- Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, RI, USA
| | | | - Ana M. Abrantes
- Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
- Butler Hospital, Providence, RI, USA
| | | | - Cathryn Glanton Holzhauer
- VA Central Western Massachusetts, Leeds, MA, USA
- University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA
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Zaccari B, Higgins M, Haywood TN, Patel M, Emerson D, Hubbard K, Loftis JM, Kelly UA. Yoga vs Cognitive Processing Therapy for Military Sexual Trauma-Related Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Netw Open 2023; 6:e2344862. [PMID: 38064219 PMCID: PMC10709771 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.44862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 10/14/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Importance First-line treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), ie, trauma-focused therapy, while effective, is limited by low treatment initiation, high dropout, and high treatment refraction. Objective To evaluate the effectiveness of Trauma Center Trauma-Sensitive Yoga (TCTSY) vs first-line cognitive processing therapy (CPT) in women veterans with PTSD related to military sexual trauma (MST) and the hypothesis that PTSD outcomes would differ between the interventions. Design, Setting, and Participants This multisite randomized clinical trial was conducted from December 1, 2015, to April 30, 2022, within 2 VA health care systems located in the southeast and northwest. Women veterans aged 22 to 71 years with MST-related PTSD were enrolled and randomized to TCTSY or CPT. Interventions The TCTSY intervention (Hatha-style yoga focusing on interoception and empowerment) consisted of 10 weekly, 60-minute group sessions, and the CPT intervention (cognitive-based therapy targeting modification of negative posttraumatic thoughts) consisted of 12 weekly, 90-minute group sessions. Main Outcome and Measures Sociodemographic data were collected via self-report survey. The primary outcome, PTSD symptom severity, was assessed using the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-5 (CAPS-5) and PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5). Assessments were conducted at baseline, midintervention, 2 weeks post intervention, and 3 months post intervention. Results Of 200 women veterans who consented to participate, the intent-to-treat sample comprised 131 participants (mean [SD] age, 48.2 [11.2] years), with 72 randomized to TCTSY and 59 randomized to CPT. Treatment was completed by 47 participants (65.3%) in the TCTSY group and 27 (45.8%) in the CPT group, a 42.6% higher treatment completion rate in the TCTSY group (P = .03). Both treatment groups improved over time on the CAPS-5 (mean [SD] scores at baseline: 36.73 [8.79] for TCTSY and 35.52 [7.49] for CPT; mean [SD] scores at 3 months: 24.03 [11.55] for TCTSY and 22.15 [13.56]) and the PCL-5 (mean [SD] scores at baseline: 49.62 [12.19] for TCTSY and 48.69 [13.62] for CPT; mean [SD] scores at 3 months: 36.97 [17.74] for TCTSY and 31.76 [12.47]) (P < .001 for time effects). None of the group effects or group-by-time effects were significant. Equivalence analyses of change scores were not significantly different between the TCTSY and CPT groups, and the two one-sided test intervals fell within the equivalence bounds of plus or minus 10 for CAPS-5 for all follow-up time points. Conclusions and Relevance In this comparative effectiveness randomized clinical trial, TCTSY was equivalent to CPT in reducing PTSD symptom severity, with both groups improving significantly. The higher treatment completion rate for TCTSY indicates its higher acceptability as an effective and acceptable PTSD treatment for women veterans with PTSD related to MST that could address current VA PTSD treatment limitations. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02640690.
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Affiliation(s)
- Belle Zaccari
- Research and Development Service, Veterans Affairs Portland Health Care System, Portland, Oregon
- Department of Mental Health and Clinical Neurosciences, Veterans Affairs Portland Health Care System, Portland, Oregon
- Department of Psychiatry, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland
| | - Melinda Higgins
- Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | | | - Meghna Patel
- Mental Health Service Line, Joseph Maxwell Cleland Atlanta VA Medical Center, Atlanta, Georgia
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - David Emerson
- The Center for Trauma and Embodiment at Justice Resource Institute, Needham, Massachusetts
| | - Kimberly Hubbard
- Research and Development Service, Veterans Affairs Portland Health Care System, Portland, Oregon
| | - Jennifer M. Loftis
- Research and Development Service, Veterans Affairs Portland Health Care System, Portland, Oregon
- Department of Psychiatry, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland
| | - Ursula A. Kelly
- Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
- Nursing and Patient Care Services, Joseph Maxwell Cleland Atlanta VA Medical Center, Atlanta, Georgia
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Ranney RM, Bernhard PA, Holder N, Vogt D, Blosnich JR, Schneiderman AI, Maguen S. Factors associated with receipt of minimally adequate psychotherapy for PTSD at the Veterans Health Administration. J Psychiatr Res 2023; 166:80-85. [PMID: 37741063 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2023.09.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2023] [Revised: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 09/25/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite Veterans Health Administration (VHA) efforts, many Veterans do not receive minimally adequate psychotherapy (MAP) for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It is important to understand factors associated with receipt of PTSD MAP (at least eight sessions) so that we may tailor efforts to increase treatment utilization for those who experience the greatest barriers to care. METHODS Participants were 2008 post-9/11 Veterans who participated in a nationwide survey and had a PTSD diagnosis documented in the VHA electronic health record (EHR) before 2018. Participants self-reported sociodemographic information and trauma history. Service utilization data (e.g., PTSD MAP) were obtained from EHR. Logistic regression was used to model factors associated with PTSD MAP. RESULTS Only 24% of Veterans (n = 479) received PTSD MAP. Veterans who reported that they were not employed and had reported history of military sexual trauma were more likely to have received PTSD MAP. CONCLUSIONS Understanding and addressing barriers to PTSD care for Veterans who are employed could help improve PTSD treatment utilization for this group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel M Ranney
- San Francisco VA Health Care System, 4150 Clement Street, San Francisco, CA, 94121, USA; University of California - San Francisco, 401 Parnassus Ave, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA; Sierra Pacific Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center, San Francisco, CA, USA.
| | - Paul A Bernhard
- Epidemiology Program, Health Outcomes of Military Exposures, Office of Patient Care Services, Veterans Health Administration, 810 Vermont Ave NW, Washington, DC, 20420, USA
| | - Nicholas Holder
- San Francisco VA Health Care System, 4150 Clement Street, San Francisco, CA, 94121, USA; University of California - San Francisco, 401 Parnassus Ave, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA
| | - Dawne Vogt
- VA Boston Health Care System, 150 South Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA, 02130, USA; Boston University School of Medicine, 72 E Concord St, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
| | - John R Blosnich
- University of Southern California, 669 W 34th St, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, USA; VA Pittsburgh Health Care System, 4100 Allequippa St, Pittsburgh, PA, 15240, USA
| | - Aaron I Schneiderman
- Epidemiology Program, Health Outcomes of Military Exposures, Office of Patient Care Services, Veterans Health Administration, 810 Vermont Ave NW, Washington, DC, 20420, USA
| | - Shira Maguen
- San Francisco VA Health Care System, 4150 Clement Street, San Francisco, CA, 94121, USA; University of California - San Francisco, 401 Parnassus Ave, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA
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Monteith LL, Kittel JA, Schneider AL, Miller CN, Holliday R, Katon JG, Brenner LA, Hoffmire CA. Military Sexual Trauma Among Women Veterans Using Veterans Health Administration Reproductive Health Care: Screening Challenges and Associations with Post-Military Suicidal Ideation and Suicide Attempts. JOURNAL OF INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE 2023; 38:7578-7601. [PMID: 36695157 PMCID: PMC10175204 DOI: 10.1177/08862605221145725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Military sexual trauma (MST) is highly prevalent among women veterans. Research among MST survivors has focused on individuals receiving care in specific settings, such as mental health services. There is a dearth of knowledge regarding MST prevalence and associations in other settings commonly accessed by women veterans, including reproductive healthcare settings. We examined MST prevalence (overall, by MST type and extent of underreporting) and associations with suicidal ideation and suicide attempts, among women veterans accessing Veterans Health Administration (VHA) reproductive health care. Our sample included 352 post-9/11 women veterans who used VHA reproductive health care in Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 and participated in a cross-sectional survey. Approximately 68.7% screened positive for MST, including 44.9% who reported experiencing military sexual assault. Notably, 30.8% reported MST on the survey, but had a negative MST screen for their most recent MST screen in their VHA medical record. Both military sexual harassment and assault were associated with increased prevalence of experiencing suicidal ideation following military service; however, a significant association among military sexual harassment, past-month suicidal ideation, and post-military suicide attempts was not detected. Military sexual assault was uniquely associated with past-month suicidal ideation and post-military suicide attempts. As MST and underreporting are highly prevalent among women veterans using VHA reproductive health care, rescreening for MST within this population is essential. A trauma-informed approach is recommended irrespective of prior MST screening results and may facilitate suicide prevention in this population. Addressing barriers to MST disclosure and preventing MST and its sequelae remain critical.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsey L. Monteith
- VA Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC) for Suicide Prevention, Aurora, CO, USA
- University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Julie A. Kittel
- VA Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC) for Suicide Prevention, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Alexandra L. Schneider
- VA Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC) for Suicide Prevention, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Christin N. Miller
- VA Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC) for Suicide Prevention, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Ryan Holliday
- VA Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC) for Suicide Prevention, Aurora, CO, USA
- University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | | | - Lisa A. Brenner
- VA Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC) for Suicide Prevention, Aurora, CO, USA
- University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Claire A. Hoffmire
- VA Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC) for Suicide Prevention, Aurora, CO, USA
- University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
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