Improving function through primary care treatment of PTSD: The IMPACT study protocol

Area of Science:

• Mental Health
• Psychological Interventions
• Veteran Healthcare

Background:

• Access and retention in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) treatments remain challenging despite effective interventions.
• The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) screens for PTSD in primary care (PC), but effective PC-based treatments are lacking.
• A gap exists between primary care and specialty mental health services for PTSD treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of a brief, 4-6 visit Prolonged Exposure for Primary Care (PE-PC) intervention.
• To assess if PE-PC improves functional outcomes in veterans with PTSD.
• To establish a new access point for high-quality PTSD care within primary care settings.

Main Methods:

• The Improving Function Through Primary Care Treatment of PTSD (IMPACT) study enrolled veterans in VHA primary care mental health integration (PCMHI) clinics.
• Participants with PTSD or subsyndromal PTSD were randomized to PE-PC or treatment as usual (TAU).
• Function was assessed using the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS 2.0).

Main Results:

• PE-PC showed efficacy in reducing PTSD symptoms.
• The intervention also demonstrated effectiveness in improving overall function.
• Results suggest PE-PC can bridge the gap to effective PTSD care.

Conclusions:

• PE-PC is an effective intervention for reducing PTSD symptoms and improving function in veterans.
• This primary care-based approach enhances access to evidence-based PTSD treatment.
• Implementing PE-PC can significantly increase the number of veterans receiving timely and effective care.