Gender and ethnoracial disparities in Veterans' trauma exposure prevalence across differing life phases

Veterans show increased vulnerability to trauma exposure. Yet, there is limited research examining Veterans' prevalence of experiencing different trauma exposure types by race, gender, and ethnicity and across unique phases of life (i.e., pre-military service, during service, and post-service). This study compares trauma exposure prevalence across women and men Veterans of differing ethnoracial identities (i.e., white, Black, Hispanic) within three life phases (i.e., pre-military service, during military service, post-military service).

This study examined survey data from 3,544 Veterans (1,781 women; 1,686 men) across six discrete data collection points (between August 2018 to March 2022). Surveys were mailed nationally and oversampled for women (51.6%) and Veterans living in high crime areas (67.6%). Veterans reported on their exposure to various trauma types (e.g., sexual assault, physical assault, community violence, captivity, serious accident, witnessing violent death) at each wave of data collection using items from a modified Life Events Checklist. Veterans also reported on demographic information (e.g., gender, race, ethnicity). Chi-square analyses were conducted to compare prevalence of reported exposure to each trauma type within each life phase across gender and ethnoracial groups.

There were significant differences in trauma exposure prevalence across: (1) men vs. women Veterans; (2) white vs. Black vs. Hispanic Veterans; (3) Black vs. Hispanic vs. white women Veterans; and (4) Black vs. Hispanic, vs. white men Veterans. For example, in this study, Black men Veterans reported higher prevalence of intimate partner physical assault exposure pre-service (14.8%) and post-service (27.1%) than White men Veterans (9.0% and 13.8%; prevalence ratios = 1.64, 95% CI = 1.17, 2.32 and 1.96, 95% CI = 1.53, 2.51). White women Veterans were less likely to witness a violent death pre-service (11.5%) than Black (21.1%; prevalence ratio = 1.83, 95% CI = 1.42, 2.37) or Hispanic (18.1%) women Veterans.

Findings help uncover disparities within Veteran subgroups. They inform mental health treatment and prevention services to better meet the needs of all Veterans across differing life phases.