The Association Between Military Sexual Trauma and Use of VA and Non-VA Health Care Services Among Female Veterans With Military Service in Iraq or Afghanistan
The Association Between Military Sexual Trauma and Use of VA and Non-VA Health Care Services Among Female Veterans With Military Service in Iraq or Afghanistan
复制标题
DOI：
10.1177/0886260515625909
复制
发表时间：
2018-08-01
影响因子：
2.5
通讯作者：
Straits-Troster, Kristy
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Calhoun, Patrick S.;Schry, Amie R.;Straits-Troster, Kristy
军事性创伤（MST）与退伍军人心理健康障碍发生率的增加有关。很少有研究探讨 MST 与 VA 和非 VA 医疗保健的使用有何关系。本研究的目的是 (a) 检查 MST、战斗经历和心理健康结果（即创伤后应激障碍 [PTSD] 和抑郁症）之间的关联，以及 (b) 检查在伊拉克和阿富汗服役的女性退伍军人中 MST 与使用 VA 和非 VA 医疗保健服务的关系。一项评估持久自由行动 (OEF)/伊拉克自由行动 (OIF) 退伍军人需求和健康的调查的女性受访者 (N = 185) 完成了人口变量、军事历史、战斗经历、MST、创伤后应激障碍 (PTSD) 和抑郁症状以及退伍军人事务部和非退伍军人事务部医疗保健使用情况的测量。总体而言，70% 的样本经历过一次或多次与战斗相关的经历，15.7% 的样本在部署到伊拉克或阿富汗期间认可 MST。即使在控制了人口和军事历史变量的影响后，MST 和战斗暴露都与 PTSD 和抑郁症状呈正相关。在双变量结果中，MST 与 VA 心理健康服务的使用增加相关，但在考虑了 PTSD 和抑郁症状后，MST 与 VA 服务的使用率并不独立相关。大约一半报告 MST 的女性没有使用过 VA 医疗保健服务。可能需要继续开展外展和教育活动，以确保退伍军人了解可通过 VA 解决与 MST 相关的心理和身体健康问题的资源。
Military sexual trauma (MST) has been linked with increased rates of mental health disorders among veterans. Few studies have addressed how MST is related to use of VA and non-VA health care. The purpose of the current study was to (a) examine the association between MST, combat experiences, and mental health outcomes (i.e., posttraumatic stress disorder [PTSD] and depression) and (b) examine the association of MST and use of VA and non-VA health care services among female veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan. Female respondents to a survey assessing Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF)/Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) veterans' needs and health (N = 185) completed measures of demographic variables, military history, combat exposure, MST, PTSD, and depression symptoms, and use of VA and non-VA health care. Overall, 70% of the sample experienced one or more combat-related experiences and 15.7% endorsed MST during deployment to Iraq or Afghanistan. MST and combat exposure were both positively associated with PTSD and depression symptoms even after controlling for the effects of demographic and military history variables. MST was associated with increased use of VA mental health services in bivariate results but was not independently related to VA service utilization after accounting for PTSD and depression symptoms. Approximately half of the women who reported MST had not used VA health care. Continued outreach and education initiatives may be needed to ensure veterans understand the resources available to address MST-related mental and physical health problems through the VA.