Citation

Holder N, Ranney RM, Bernhard PA, Holliday R, Vogt D, Hoffmire CA, Blosnich JR, Schneiderman AI, Maguen S. J. Psychiatr. Res. 2023; 170: 158-166.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2023, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.jpsychires.2023.12.026

PMID

38147692

Abstract

Veterans who do not know about their posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) diagnosis experience a fundamental barrier to accessing effective treatment. Little is known about the characteristics that influence veterans' PTSD diagnosis knowledge (i.e., report of being told they have a PTSD diagnosis by a healthcare provider). Veterans who met probable and provisional criteria for PTSD on the self-report PTSD checklist for DSM-5 were identified from the Comparative Health Assessment Interview Research Study (n = 2335). Weighted logistic regression was performed to identify demographic variables, clinical characteristics, and social determinants of health (e.g., economic instability, homelessness, healthcare coverage) associated with PTSD diagnosis knowledge among post-9/11 veterans. Approximately 62% of veterans with probable and provisional PTSD had PTSD diagnosis knowledge. Predictors with the strongest associations included another mental health diagnosis (OR = 6.10, CI(95):4.58,8.12) and having Veterans Affairs (VA) healthcare coverage (OR = 2.63, CI(95):1.97,3.51). Veterans with combat or sexual trauma were more likely to have PTSD diagnosis knowledge than those with different trauma types.

RESULTS suggest veterans with VA healthcare coverage and military-related trauma are more likely to be informed by a healthcare professional about a PTSD diagnosis. Further research is needed to improve PTSD diagnosis knowledge for those with non-military-related trauma and those without VA healthcare coverage.

Language: en

Keywords

Diagnosis knowledge; Healthcare access; Posttraumatic stress disorder; Trauma type; Veterans