Citation

Adams RE, Urosevich TG, Hoffman SN, Kirchner HL, Hyacinthe JC, Figley CR, Boscarino JJ, Boscarino JA. Mil. Behav. Health 2017; 5(4): 393-405.

Affiliation

Geisinger Clinic, Danville, Pennsylvania.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2017, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/21635781.2017.1333067

PMID

29098116

PMCID

PMC5663244

Abstract

Using a stress process model, the authors examined social and psychological resources to better understand mental health outcomes among veterans. For this study, we surveyed 700 U.S. veterans who were outpatients in the Geisinger Health System. Independent variables included demographic factors, stressful and traumatic events, social support measures, and psychosocial factors. Using logistic regression, the authors examined 4 types of social connections: social support, help-seeking support, social capital, and other mental health support to predict mental health outcomes, including posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, suicide ideation, alcohol misuse, mental health service use, and Veterans Affairs service use.

RESULTS suggested that help-seeking support since deployment was a risk factor for 5 adverse outcomes, whereas social support was protective for 1 outcome. We concluded that high levels of help-seeking support since deployment among veterans was associated with a higher prevalence of mental health problems. These findings were unexpected and suggest the need for additional social support-related research among veterans.

Language: en

Keywords

Social connections; mental health problems; social support; treatment seeking