According to a recent item published by Boston University's School of Public Health, younger women combat veterans with PTSD under-utilize specialized mental health treatment programs provided by the VA. Just why this is the case hasn't been determined yet, but the study highlights some interesting results -- and in any case it's progress that the needs of this special population (women combat veterans) are being studied. From the press release:
"Younger women veterans with substance abuse problems, post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental health diagnoses were significantly less likely to utilize specialized Veterans Health Administration (VHA) mental health services in 1999, after the first Gulf War, than their male counterparts, a study led by BUSPH researchers has found.
Veterans of recent conflicts have been shown to have significant mental health needs," says the study, published in the journal Women's Health Issues. "Examining the effects of gender on disease burden and health care utilization in this growing group of veterans is important."
The study found that younger women (under 35) were significantly less likely to use mental health services in comparison to men. However, middle-aged and older women were more likely to use the services than men."
In terms of specialty mental health services, women veterans under the age of 55 were significantly less likely to use PTSD or substance abuse services. The authors speculated that women with substance abuse problems "may be averse to using male-dominated therapeutic groups," may seek treatment in general medical settings or may not seek treatment at all, as described in prior literature on women and substance abuse.
If underutilization of [substance abuse] services continues in newer women veterans, a significant percentage...may remain untreated," the authors cautioned.
The researchers said the underutilization of specialized PTSD services by younger women could be due, in part, to the fact that a significant proportion of PTSD in female veterans is associated with a history of military sexual abuse: "Women with a history of military sexual trauma may not feel comfortable either in mixed-gender groups or using services in which treatment is oriented primarily toward combat-related PTSD.
Overall, a higher percentage of women veterans than men utilized outpatient mental health services, other than the specialized PTSD and substance abuse programs. The study also found that women veterans who used VHA services had a higher prevalence of mood/anxiety disorders and bipolar or psychotic disorders than their male counterparts.
The researchers said that, if the utilization trends found in the study persist, an increasing number of women veterans with significant mental illness and comorbidity could be expected to rely on the VHA for care.
They said their findings highlight the complexity involved in crafting mental health services for the new wave of women veterans."Further research is warranted as to how to address the complex needs for specialty mental health services in this newly emerging group of veterans," they said.
They noted that examining gender differences alone, without taking age, diagnosis and other factors into account, may not provide an adequate picture of women veterans' mental health service needs."
Source: "The Insider," from Boston University's School of Public Health, June 29, 2009. Submitted by Lisa Chedekel. Link is here.
