In-Home Exposure Therapy for Veterans with PTSD

Abstract

This is a randomized controlled trial study that implemented prolonged exposure therapy (PE) to military Veterans. We recruited 175 Veterans to participate in the study. Our goal was to compare PE conducted in three different ways: (1) PE that is office-based telehealth (OBT; Veterans come to the clinic to meet with the therapist using videoconferencing technology), (2) PE delivered via home -based telehealth (HBT; Veterans stay at home and meet with the therapist using the computer and video cameras), and (3) PE delivered in home, in person (IHIP; the therapist comes to the Veterans homes for treatment). We hypothesized that the IHIP approach, compared to the other two approaches, will be more effective at reducing the PTSD symptoms along with depression and anxiety symptoms and result in higher completion rates because therapists provide therapy in a naturalistic context. We have been referred 899 Veterans. Of the 899 referred, including 735 males (82%) and 164 females (18%), with 180 Veterans participating in the study. 175 Veterans(97% of those enrolled) were randomized while 5 (3%) were pilot subjects. Of the 175 randomized participants, 109 (62%)have completed therapy and 66 (38%) have dropped out of therapy. When the data was analyzed, we found that there was no difference in reductions of PTSD and anxiety symptoms following PE by treatment modality across any time point; however, OBT had significantly smaller reductions in BDI-II scores at posttreatment and 6-month follow-up than IHIP(mean diff. 7.3 at posttreatment and 8.0 at 6-month follow up; p = .049, p = .023, respectively). For treatment completion, veterans in the HBT (odds ratio [OR] = 2.67; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.10, 6.52; p = .031) and OBT (OR = 5.08; 95% CI = 2.10; 12.26; p < .001) conditions were significantly more likely than veterans in IHIP to drop out of treatment.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Dec 01, 2019
Accession Number
AD1102990

Entities

People

  • Leslie A. Morland

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Age Groups
  • Data Analysis
  • Databases
  • Delivery Of Health Care
  • Diseases And Disorders
  • Health Care
  • Health Services
  • Hospitals
  • Medical Personnel
  • Mental Disorders
  • Patient Care Management
  • Psychiatry
  • Psychology
  • Social Psychology
  • Telemedicine
  • Traumatic Stress Disorder
  • Video Teleconferencing

Readers

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