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Mental Health Service Utilization before and after Receipt of a Service-Connected Disability Award for PTSD: Findings

Rebecca K Sripada^1,2,3,4, Claire M Hannemann^4,5, Paula P Schnurr^6,7

¹Veterans Affairs Center for Clinical Management Research, Ann Arbor, MI.

Health Services Research

|April 19, 2018

Abstract

Objective:

To determine patterns of mental health service use before and after VA disability compensation awards for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Data Sources:

A 10 percent random sample of VHA-enrolled Veterans with new or increased PTSD service connection between 2012 and 2014 (n = 22,249).

Study Design:

We used latent trajectory analysis to identify utilization patterns and multinomial logistic regression to assess associations between Veteran characteristics and trajectory membership.

Data Extraction Methods:

We assessed receipt of VHA mental health encounters in each of the 52 weeks prior to and following PTSD disability rating or rating increase.

Principal Findings:

The best fitting model had five groups: No Use (36.6 percent), Low Use (37.7 percent), Increasing Use (9.4 percent), Decreasing Use (11.2 percent), and High Use (5.1 percent). Adjusting for demographic characteristics and compared with the No Use group, Veterans in the other groups were more likely to reside closer to a VHA facility, receive a higher PTSD disability rating, and screen positive for military sexual trauma.

Conclusions:

Service use remained stable (80 percent) or increased (9 percent) for the vast majority of Veterans. Service utilization declined for only 11 percent. Data did not indicate substantial service discontinuation following rating. Low VHA service utilization suggests opportunities to enhance outreach for Veterans with PTSD-related disability benefits.

Keywords:

Veteran Veterans Affairs compensation posttraumatic stress disorder service connection

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