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A prospective, observational program evaluation of hyperbaric oxygen therapy for veterans with posttraumatic stress
Gregory Levitt1, Haylee Garling1, Brooke Stoddard1
1Center of Excellence for Aging and Brain Repair, University of South Florida.
Objective:
The objective of this program evaluation was to evaluate the effects of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) on posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in U.S. veterans.
Method:
A prospective, single-arm, longitudinal design was used for this program evaluation. Eighty-seven veterans receiving HBOT at three Florida treatment centers were invited to complete anonymous online surveys. PTSD symptoms were assessed with the PTSD Checklist for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition. Participants were White (90%), male (90%), and aged 30-59 years (76%).
Results:
Fifty veterans (57%) completed baseline, midpoint, and posttreatment surveys. Mean PTSD Checklist for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition, scores decreased from 51.00 to 20.62 (Cohen's d = -1.91, 95% confidence intervals [-2.5, -1.4]), reflecting a clinically significant reduction from diagnostic to subthreshold levels. Improvements were sustained at 1-, 3-, and 6-month follow-ups. HBOT was also associated with reductions in depression, anxiety, somatization, sleep disturbance, impulsivity, and stress, alongside increases in resilience and positive ideation.
Conclusion:
HBOT produced durable, clinically, and statistically significant reductions in PTSD symptoms (mean difference > 10, p < .001). Findings support the need for rigorous controlled trials to further examine HBOT as a potential treatment for PTSD in veterans. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).
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