Sexual trauma victims in military likely to have mental health problems later

 

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Veterans especially at risk for mental health problems include those who have had military-related sexual trauma, according to the results of a newly-released study.

In screening for military-related sexual trauma, researchers found patients were particularly at increased risk for mental health conditions once they left the service.  The study is called, “Military-Related Sexual Trauma Among Veterans Health Administration Patients Returning from Afghanistan and Iraq.”

Sexual harassment and abuse are some of the concerns expressed as significant issues among the nation's new veterans.  They find this a wide ranging mental health issue that they consider a major health concern.

Researchers found those who experienced sexual harassment or sexual trauma while in the military were most at risk for mental health conditions, that include post traumatic stress disorder,  depression, substance use disorders, and other stress related conditions.

The sample used in the present research included all veterans deployed in service of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom and separated from military service by Sept. 30, 2006, who used Veterans Health Administration mental health or primary care services between Oct. 1, 2001, and Sept. 30, 2007.

Of the  17,580 women and 108.149 men subjects who underwent routine screening for military sexual trauma by VHA providers, 15.1 percent of the women and 0.7 percent of the men reported sexual trauma.

Researchers also discovered about 75 percent, of women and men who reported a history of military sexual trauma were diagnosed with a mental health condition, making them significantly more likely to experience mental health problems than those who did not report military sexual trauma.

“These data highlight the need to ensure adequate access to and capacity of mental health care for military sexual trauma and associated post-deployment mental health conditions” note the researchers.

Rachel Kimerling, Ph.D., who was the study's principal author of the present research done from the National Center for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder at the VA Palo Alto Health Care System, added, “VHA’s universal screening for military sexual trauma means that we are able to detect these experiences in new veterans earlier than ever before, in an effort to provide timely treatments and prevent these conditions from becoming chronic problems”.