The current state of intervention research for posttraumatic stress disorder within the primary care setting

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is common among primary care patients and is associated with significant functional impairment, physical health concerns, and mental health comorbidities. Significant barriers to receiving adequate treatment often exist for primary care patients with PTSD. Mental health professionals operating as part of the primary care team have the potential to provide effective brief intervention services. While good PTSD screening and assessment measures are available for the primary care setting, there are currently no empirically supported primary care-based brief interventions for PTSD. This article reviews early research on the development and testing of primary care-based PTSD treatments and also reviews other brief PTSD interventions (i.e., telehealth and early intervention) that could be adapted to the primary care setting. Cognitive and behavioral therapies currently have the strongest evidence base for establishing an empirically supported brief intervention for PTSD in primary care. Recommendations are made for future research and clinical practice.