Mental Health Disorders, Suicide Risk, and Treatment Seeking Among Formerly Deployed National Guard and Reserve Service Member Seen in Non-VA Facilities
Abstract
The focus of the proposed study is to assess the risk factors for mental health disorders and treatment outcomes among National Guard and Reserve Service members seem in non-Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) facilities following recent deployments. This study is important because the majority of Veterans today have private and/or other health insurance coverage and typically receive their care from non-VA institutions. This is especially true for the National Guard and Reserves, since they typically remain part of the local community both before and after deployment. Geisinger Clinic, the community health partners for this study, has approximately 40,000 current and former Service members who use this system for healthcare. Many of these patients currently are or were former members of the National Guard or the Reserves. The specific aims to be assessed in this study include: -- To estimate the prevalence of and risks for mental health disorders, substance use disorders, traumatic brain injury (TBI), and suicide among National Guard and Reserves personnel who have returned from recent combat operations in Iraq and/or Afghanistan. -- To identify protective factors for these disorder among Guard/Reserve Service members after combat operations, including resilient, delayed, remitted, and persistent mental disorders. -- To assess the effectiveness of mental health interventions received by National Guard and Reserve members during/after recent combat operations, including brief an alternative interventions. -- To conduct genetic research related the risks for mental disorders among Guard/Reserve Service members following warzone deployments. For this research, we have proposed a study focused on psychological health among 900 National Guard and Reserve Service members who recently returned from combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, compared to 900 warzone Veterans from other service eras. The scope of this research includes assessment of post-deployment mental health status, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), TBI, depression, and substance abuse, mental health service utilization, and identification of suicide risks. To achieve this, we will recruit a random sample of National Guard and Reserve personnel and a random sample of warzone Veterans from other service eras from Geisinger for diagnostic interviews. For this study, we will also collect Geisinger s electronic health record data for both samples, creating a multi-year longitudinal database. Consistent with the goals of this post-deployment research program, our study will contribute to better screening, better assessment of the effectiveness of interventions, and will improve treatment referrals among Service members. It is expected the knowledge gained from this study will be employable across levels of care, care providers (e.g., VA and non-VA), and across deployment cycles for Service members. Our study has the potential to advance the field of research and patient care in the area of post-deployment healthcare for Service members and their families. It has the potential to change the standard of care for PTSD and related mental health conditions. It will contribute to the development of evidence-based policy for patient evaluation and care and will help improve the quality of life for Service members and their families.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Apr 04, 2016
- Source ID
- W81XWH1510506
Entities
People
- Joseph J. Boscarino
Organizations
- Geisinger Health System
- United States Army