Sexual Assault and Disabling PTSD in Active Duty Service Women

Sexual assault in the military is a major concern and may result in significant health problems, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Those developing disabling PTSD symptoms may require a disability evaluation. We examined disability evaluation trends for service women with PTSD to better understand characteristics associated with inability to continue Active Duty service.

This is a retrospective review of disability reports and electronic medical records for 322 Active Duty women diagnosed with and treated for PTSD by psychiatrists and psychologists at a large military treatment facility between 2011 and 2014. Service women requiring medical disability evaluation for PTSD (n = 159) were included in the study as "IDES cases" (Integrated Disability Evaluation System - IDES). A similar number of women, randomly selected from those seeking care for PTSD but not requiring disability evaluation during the same period, were included in the "control" group (n = 163). Analyzes done to evaluate differences between groups (IDES cases vs. controls) included demographic and service-related characteristics, history of chronic pain, and PTSD index trauma types, such as pre-military trauma and military sexual trauma (MST). Logistic regression was performed to identify the factors associated with inclusion in IDES.

MST was the most frequent PTSD index trauma in the IDES group (73.6% vs. 44.8% of control group) and the most significant factor associated with IDES inclusion (OR 2.6, p = 0.032). Those in the IDES group had significantly greater number of mental health visits for PTSD (IDES: m = 68.6 vs. controls: m = 29.6) and more frequent chronic pain history (IDES 40.9% vs. controls 19.6%) than those in the control group. Approximately 65% of women in both groups had a history of childhood abuse, but childhood abuse, as a PTSD index trauma, was negatively associated with IDES inclusion (OR 0.293, p = 0.006).

Active Duty service women with PTSD and a MST index trauma are much more likely to require disability evaluation (IDES) than those with PTSD due to other trauma types. IDES evaluation for conditions such as PTSD may result in early termination of military service and is a potential downstream consequence of MST. Service women requiring greater numbers of mental health visits for PTSD treatment may benefit from a multidisciplinary approach to treating concurrent health conditions, such as chronic pain. Those providing care for service women should evaluate for MST, chronic pain and pre-military trauma, such as childhood abuse; and aggressively treat these conditions to prevent PTSD and disability.