Military and Veterans Studies Commons^™

Education On My Healthevet To Increase Access To Psychiatric Healthcare For Veterans, Roxann Hackbarth

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Practice Innovation Projects

Introduction: Access to mental health care can be challenging for many veterans. The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) developed the patient portal My Healthevet (MHV) to increase access to healthcare services. Despite this program, many veterans still do not take advantage of the portal. The goal of this literature review was to gain knowledge on benefits and barriers of using patient portals, identification of patients who use and do not use patient portals, and interventions to increase the use of patient portals.
Evidence Summary: The use of patient portals, including the VHA portal MHV, helps to increase interactions between clinicians and …

The Effects Of Military Sexual Trauma And Depressive Symptoms On Reintegration, Rachel L. Davies

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Reintegration is a challenge for many veterans returning to civilian roles after military service. Difficulties range from an assortment of issues such as self-care to community participation. Military sexual trauma may be an experience that alters or changes veterans and result in difficulty in reintegration. Specifically, it was predicted that military sexual trauma would indirectly affect reintegration, via depressive symptoms. In addition, locus of control was predicted to play a role in how military sexual trauma impacts reintegration with external locus of control acting as a buffer. Participants were a cross-sectional community sample of both female veterans who reported having …

The Role Of Social Work In Health Care For Veterans In The United States Of America (Praca Socjalna W Lecznictwie Weteranów Służby Wojskowej W Usa), Jaroslaw Richard Romaniuk

Faculty Scholarship

Clinical social work in the American system of health care and its specific features in the Veterans Affairs (VA) of veterans are described in this paper. VA hospitals are the largest employers of social work worldwide. Because health care for veterans is paid for from government funds, VA hospitals are subject to regulations developed on the basis of research into the system’s effectiveness and efficiency. Clinical social workers cooperate with physicians and nurses to comprise an integral part of the health care team. Social workers fulfill the usual tasks related to social well‑being but also act as health educators and …

Symptom Severity, Self-Efficacy And Treatment-Seeking For Mental Health Among Us Iraq/Afghanistan Military Veterans, Mary Keeling, Nicholas Barr, Hazel Atuel, Carl A. Castro

Social Work Faculty Research

Military veterans have high rates of mental health problems, yet the majority do not seek treatment. Understanding treatment-seeking in this population is important. This study investigated if symptom severity and self-efficacy are associated with treatment-seeking among US Iraq/Afghanistan veterans. Survey data from 525 veterans meeting clinical criteria for PTSD and depression were included of which, 54.4% had sought treatment in the past 12 months. Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that high symptom severity was associated with treatment seeking, whereas high self-efficacy was associated with a decreased likelihood to seek treatment. Self-efficacy could be an underlying mechanism of treatment seeking decisions.

An Examination Of Social Connectedness On Ptsd And Freezing In A Student Military Population, Jessica Marie Ledwith

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates the impact of social connectedness (SC) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in a military college population, and their relation to physiological measures such as body sway, heart rate (HR), and heat rate variability (HRV). According to previous research, people with PTSD are more likely to exhibit a freezing response to affective images. In the present study, we explore the potential freezing response for military personnel at the levels of PTSD symptom groups and social connectedness. We also investigate the possible buffering effect social connectedness has on the outcome of PTSD and freezing. There was a total of …

From The Boots On The Ground: A Comparison Of The Attitudes And Beliefs Of Military Members And Mental Health Professionals Regarding The Moral Injury Construct, Karis L. Callaway

Dissertations

An increasing amount of research conducted in recent years indicates that, in addition to Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, moral injury is a key concept to recognize when considering the deployment experiences of service members. Although related to Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, which is a fear-based mental health diagnosis, moral injury is a distinct concept. It acknowledges the possible prolonged negative psychological, social, and spiritual consequences that may occur after experiences that challenge and transgress one’s deeply held moral beliefs. Events such as perpetration of harm, failing to protect or prevent harm, and witnessing or learning about distressing acts committed by influential others …

Ua35/8 Reveille, Vol. 27, No. 1, Wku Veterans Upward Bound

WKU Administration Documents

Newsletter created by and about WKU Veterans Upward Bound.

• Veterans Administration Community Suicide-Prevention Challenge
• RallyPoint
• PsychArmor Institute
• Explore VA.gov to Learn About Your Benefits
• Stone, Davy. The Director's Desk - Michelle Shutt

Mental Health Problems Of The Youngest Generation Of American Veterans (Problemy Zdrowia Psychicznego Najmłodszego Pokolenia Weteranów Amerykańskich), Jaroslaw Richard Romaniuk

Faculty Scholarship

Wartime activities determine the threats to a soldier’s life and health. To prepare soldiers for a new forms of warfare, one should know the challenges the soldier faces in the midst of battle and after returning home. From 2001 to 2015, 1.2 million American soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan used the health care services of the Department of Veterans’ Affairs. An analysis of the resulting medical interventions makes possible a long term evaluation of the effects of war, some of which appear only after the soldier returns to civilian life. This study analyzes the research on the mental health …

Honoring Veterans Means Funding Suicide Prevention, Brendan Cushing-Daniels, Christopher R. Fee

Economics Faculty Publications

Many Americans may not know that it was Dwight D. Eisenhower who in 1954 issued the official proclamation celebrating the service of all veterans by designating Nov. 11, formerly known as Armistice Day, in honor of our vets. Eisenhower, of course, was supreme commander of Allied Forces in Europe during World War II and commander in chief as the 34th president of the United States.

In Ike’s words, “on that day let us solemnly remember the sacrifices of all those who fought so valiantly, on the seas, in the air, and on foreign shores, to preserve our heritage of freedom, …

Ptsd In U.S. Veterans: The Role Of Social Connectedness, Combat Experiences And Discharge, Sara Kintzle, Nicholas Barr, Gisele Corletto, Carl A. Castro

Social Work Faculty Research

Service members who transition out of the military often face substantial challenges during their transition to civilian life. Leaving military service requires establishing a new community as well as sense of connectedness to that community. Little is known about how social connectedness may be related to other prominent transition outcomes, particularly symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The purpose of this study was to explore the role of social connectedness in the development of PTSD, as well as its relationship to the known risk factors of combat exposure and discharge status. Data used were drawn from a needs assessment survey …

Recent Advances In The Understanding Of Relationship Communication During Military Deployment, Steven L. Sayers, Galena K. Rhoades

Psychology: Faculty Scholarship

In recent decades, there has been a dramatic increase in the ability of service members and their intimate partners to communicate while the service member is deployed to a combat zone. Communication among partners is a crucial aspect of intimate relationships that has been demonstrated to be highly associated with couples’ satisfaction. In addition, it is often cited by unhappy partners as a primary relationship problem. This special section of the Journal of Family Psychology presents five articles investigating deployment communication among service members and their intimate partners. The studies address the content and goals of deployment communication, the relations …

Efforts To Reduce Concomitant Opioid And Benzodiazepine Prescribing At The Lexington Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Kaitlyn A. Staton

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

The United States is in the throes of an opioid epidemic. Any person who uses an opioid medication may experience an intentional or unintentional overdose. An overdose is more likely to occur when an individual ingests an opioid in combination with certain classes of medications, such as benzodiazepines or nonbenzodiazepines (Z-drugs). These medications are more likely to cause sedation and respiratory depression when taken together. Veterans, due to their unique mental and physical health challenges, are more likely to experience an overdose when they receive a combination of opioid therapy with benzodiazepine or Z-drug therapy as opposed to a single …

Intensive Referral To Mutual-Help Groups: A Field Trial Of Adaptations For Rural Veterans, Kathleen M. Grant, Lance Brendan Young, Kimberly A. Tyler, Jamie L. Simpson, R. Dario Pulido, Christine Timko

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

Objective: A multisite field trial testing whether improved outcomes associated with intensive referral to mutual help groups (MHGs) could be maintained after the intervention was adapted for the circumstances and needs of rural veterans in treatment for substance use disorder (SUD). Methods: In three Veterans Affairs treatment programs in the Midwest, patients (N = 195) received standard referral (SR) or rural-adapted intensive referral (RAIR) and were measured at baseline and 6-month follow-up. Results: Both groups reported significant improvement at 6 months but no significant differences between SR and RAIR groups in MHG participation, substance use, addiction severity, and posttraumatic stress …

From War To Home: The Systematic Issues Operation Enduring And Iraqi Freedom Veterans Face Transitioning With Ptsd, Tiffany D. Ware

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe the perceptions of Operation Enduring and Iraqi Freedom veterans with PTSD, who are transitioning from active duty to civilian life, regarding their participation in the Disabled Transition Assistance Program.

Methodology: The methodology for this research study will be qualitative from a phenomenological perspective. When thinking of research as it pertains to qualitative methods, it is appropriate to use when a researcher is trying to study the lived experiences of individuals (Flipp, 2014; Patton, 2015). This method will describe perceptions of Operation Enduring and Iraqi Freedom veterans with PTSD, who are …

Research Brief: "Va Disability Compensation And Money Spent On Substance Use Among Homeless Veterans: A Controversial Association", Institute For Veterans And Military Families At Syracuse University

Institute for Veterans and Military Families

This research examines the amount of money homeless veterans spend on alcohol and drugs, as well as the association between public support income, i.e. VA disability compensation, and expenditures on alcohol and drugs. Though no association was found between VA disability compensation and substance use, this study does underscore the importance of policy establishing substance abuse treatment for homeless veterans. Future studies on this topic should include more female veterans.

Research Brief: "Physical Activity, Suicide Risk Factors, And Suicidal Ideation In A Veteran Sample", Institute For Veterans And Military Families At Syracuse University

Institute for Veterans and Military Families

This brief is about the effect of physical activity on level of suicidal risk and ideation in veterans. In policy and practice, veterans should continue to exercise, either individually or in groups, and physicians should assist veterans with disabilities in finding adaptive exercises and sports; the DoD and VA should create health transition plans to help service members transition back into civilian life. Suggestions for future research include collecting data through interviews and including more veterans with disabilities in the study.

Research Brief: "Creating Hope: Assisting Veterans With Job Search Strategies Using Cognitive Information Processing Theory", Institute For Veterans And Military Families At Syracuse University

Institute for Veterans and Military Families

This study highlights research on common challenges veterans face during their career search, and presents recommendations for meaningful change. The employment needs of veterans can be addressed through cognitive information processing, a career problem solving and decision making theory that involves defining goals, understanding options, ranking options, making a choice, and reflecting on the decided choice. In practice, considering entering the civilian job market after military service can have challenges, and veterans should consider discussing their employment seeking experiences with other veterans who are experiencing similar struggles or who have successfully entered the civilian job market. In practice, the Department …

Research Brief: "Mental Health Of Transgender Veterans Of The Iraq And Afghanistan Conflicts Who Experienced Military Sexual Trauma", Institute For Veterans And Military Families At Syracuse University

Institute for Veterans and Military Families

This brief is about the relationship between identifying as a transgender veteran, military sexual trauma, and mental health disorders. In policy and practice, transgender veterans who have experienced military sexual trauma should discuss the trauma history with a mental health provider, and health care providers should work with transgender veterans to connect them with proper counseling services. The DoD should work to reduce gender identity stigma within the military and the VA should research MST treatment effectiveness among transgender veterans. Suggestions for future research include using self-rated identity as a variable and determining more about the effectiveness of MST treatments …

From Caution To College: The Effects On Veterans With Self- Reported Trauma Symptoms Sharing Their Experiences With The Campus Community, Jemerson Diaz

McNair Research Journal SJSU

Over 900,000 veterans are using benefits for higher education today; the vast majority of them served in the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT). Over 25% of GWOT service members that have been treated by the Veterans Affairs (VA) are reported to have symptoms of posttraumatic stress or posttraumatic stress disorder (PTS/PTSD). PTS/PTSD negatively impacts student veterans’ abilities to navigate stressful environments such as college and university settings. The Veterans Embracing Transition (VET) Connect Program at San José State University (SJSU) is designed to connect veterans with non-veterans as peer educators. Five of the 13 VET Connect peer educators (38.5%) who …

The Relationship Between The Military's Masculine Culture And Service Members' Help-Seeking Behaviors, Rachel Reit

Master's Theses (2009 -)

Since the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, over 2.5 million active duty U.S. military service members have deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan (Knobloch & Wilson, 2015). Of those who return as veterans, twenty percent experience serious mental health problems, and only 30-40% of them seek help or treatment (Tanielian & Jaycox, 2008; Wilson, Gettings, Hall, & Pastor, 2015). Recently, the military has increased efforts to encourage help-seeking behaviors among service members and to normalize mental health treatment. However, the military’s masculine culture and emphasis on strength and toughness inhibits the success of these efforts. The present studies investigate the …

Lived Experience Of Military Mental Health Clinicians: Provided Care To Oif And Oef Active Duty Service Members Experiencing War Stress Injury, David W. Vandegrift

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Military mental health clinicians (MMHCs) have been essential to Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. They served in extreme stress conditions, including on the front lines. As co-combatant/clinician, the MMHC bridged unique perspectives on the effects of war stress experienced by Active-Duty Service Members (ADSMs). To date, no study has focuses uniquely on MMHCs narratives as they provided care from this multiple perspective. This investigation was carried out from a phenomenological perspective. A single, open-ended question was asked of seven MMHCs about lived experiences while serving, resulting in in-depth interviews. These were textually coded. Though clinician positive and negative experiences …

Research Brief: "Changes In Overall And Firearm Veteran Suicide Rates By Gender, 2001-2010", Institute For Veterans And Military Families At Syracuse University

Institute for Veterans and Military Families

This brief is about suicide rates and trends among female and male veterans. In policy and practice, veterans who have thoughts about suicide should contact services such as suicide hotlines, medical providers should assess veterans for suicidal risk, and the VHA should continue its impactful suicide prevention program. Suggestions for future research include studies to understand the trend of firearm suicides among female veterans and a study to provide more generalizable results.

Research Brief: "Access To Mental Health Care Among Women Veterans: Is Va Meeting Women’S Needs?", Institute For Veterans And Military Families At Syracuse University

Institute for Veterans and Military Families

This brief is a summary of access to mental health care among women veterans and gender related indicators of perceived access to mental health care.

Student Perceptions Of Services For Veterans And Military Personnel, Philip Parsons

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Many Veterans are returning from the War on Terror and making their way to universities. Due to the many aspects of war and military life many maybe, or are experiencing some level of mental health issue/s. As more Veterans make this transition, resources may not be available for them to be successful in the classroom (Whitley, Tschudi, & Gieber, 2013). After reviewing the literature, a suitable instrument to measure these variables was not available. The researcher developed a survey and sampled students of one Midwestern public university. The variables included basic demographic questions and perceptions of Veterans and the services …

Research Brief: "Mental Health Of Transgender Veterans In Us States With And Without Discrimination And Hate Crime Legal Protection", Institute For Veterans And Military Families At Syracuse University

Institute for Veterans and Military Families

This study suggests that policies protecting transgender individuals from employment discrimination are associated with better mental health, as it found that transgender individuals represent one of the most marginalized populations in both civilian and military communities. In practice, employers should continue encouraging a safe and welcoming environment for all employees, including individuals who identify as transgender, and medical providers serving transgender veterans should consider evaluating their patients’ mental health. In policy, policymakers might continue efforts to reduce discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity and might consider introducing bills to protect LGBTQ+ persons. Suggestions for future study include sampling …

A Mixed Methods Analysis Of The Relationship Between Attachment, Post-Traumatic Stress, And Post-Traumatic Growth Among United States Service Members, Chauncy T. Brinton

Dissertations, 2014-2019

The impact of secure military relationships on US service members’ response to trauma during military service was examined in this mixed methods study. Veterans with and without combat exposure evidence a high rate of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and the military has tried to institute resilience-based programs in anticipation of the psychological challenges experienced by soldiers. At the same time, research has shown that some service members report positive outcomes associated with military service including the phenomena of post-traumatic growth (PTG). The constructs from attachment theory (safe haven and exploration) have begun to be the focus of research with service …

Veterans Treatment Courts: Pure Pretextualism Or A Venue For Veterans' Needs?, John William Erickson Jr.

School of Criminal Justice Theses and Dissertations

The intended goals of Veterans Treatment Courts (VTCs) are consistent with what drove the establishment of Drug Courts and Mental Health Courts in the ‘90s. That is, a recognition that the traditional criminal justice system is geared toward punitive court dispositions; not the unique characteristics of addicts and/or mental health defendants (G. Lerner-Wren, personal communication, January 12, 2015). For example, In Dade County, Florida, a former U.S. Attorney, then the Dade County State Attorney, recognized that reform was necessary to avoid the criminalization of drug addiction; given the high prevalence of cocaine abuse. Today, U.S. Military Veterans returning from Iraq …

Supporting Student Veterans Utilizing Participatory Curriculum Development, Bryce A. Doehne

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

An organizational level program utilizing Participatory Curriculum Development (PCD) (Taylor, 2003) is presented to assist postsecondary institutions with development, implementation, and evaluation of programs to support student veterans. Postsecondary institutions are provided with a “how to” program manual that includes literature-based core and supplemental programs, trauma-informed theory, and a methodological framework to implement programs. Practical program evaluation measures are offered to assist postsecondary institutions with evaluating the outcomes of their efforts to support student veterans. The electronic version of this dissertation is at AURA: Antioch University Repository and Archive, http://aura.antioch.edu/ and OhioLink ETD Center, https://etd.ohiolink.edu

The War At Home, Joseph A. Altobelli Mr.

Capstones

This site was made to show how the cuts to and politics behind the Veterans Affairs Hospital in New York affects the veterans it is set up to care for.

Research Brief: "Impact Of Parents' Wartime Military Deployment And Injury On Young Children's Safety And Mental Health", Institute For Veterans And Military Families At Syracuse University

Institute for Veterans and Military Families

This brief is about the relationship between the mental health of military children and parental deployment. In policy and practice, healthcare providers and teachers should understand the risks during the post-deployment period and the DoD should implement programs to help military families during the post-deployment period. Suggestions for future research include conducting a study over time on this topic, as well as expanding the sample to include longer and multiple deployments and various age groups of children within military families.