Introduction Due to decades of prolonged combat operations, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is widely discussed and generally well conceptualized. The objective of this study was to determine if an educational program on the signs and symptoms of PTSD and an explanation of the current treatments utilized by the Veterans Administration is effective in increasing the knowledge levels of women service members and veterans, leading to seeking treatment. Materials and Methods The design of this study was a quantitative pretest/posttest interventional study. The educational program was conducted at a Senior Citizen Center. The population was a purposive sample of 44 women service members and veterans from a military base in New Jersey. A 25-item PTSD Knowledge Questionnaire developed for the earlier Web-Based Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Education for Military Family Members (2012) study was used as the pretest and posttest. Results The knowledge level of PTSD among women service members and veterans who participated in this study was significantly higher after completing the educational program with 43% indicating that they would seek mental health care. Conclusions Women service members and veterans were ill-informed on the signs, symptoms, and treatment options of PTSD. If the results of this survey are an indicator of the knowledge level of women service members in broader populations, there is a need to restructure how those who are at risk of developing PTSD are educated. Through better educational programs, women and men could seek care with increasingly favorable long-term outcomes.
Search Results
Library (23)
Research in Action (2)
Showing library results for: women service member
1 - 20 of 23
An education intervention to improve knowledge of post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms and treatments among U.S. women service members and veterans
APA Citation:
Proctor, D. M., Emmons, K. R., & Scannell-Desch, E. (2023). An education intervention to improve knowledge of post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms and treatments among U.S. women service members and veterans. Military Medicine, 188(1-2), 368-373. https://doi.org/10.1093/milmed/usab514
Focus:
Programming
Trauma
Veterans
Mental health
Branch of Service:
Multiple branches
Military Affiliation:
Veteran
Reserve
Guard
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Research
Proctor, Denise M.; Emmons, Kevin R.; Scannell-Desch, Elizabeth
2023
Women’s participation in the Jordanian Military and police: An exploration of perceptions and aspirations
APA Citation:
Maffey, K. R., & Smith, D. G. (2020). Women’s participation in the jordanian military and police: An exploration of perceptions and aspirations. Armed Forces & Society, 46(1), 46-67. https://doi.org/10.1177/0095327X18806520
Focus:
Other
Branch of Service:
International Military
Military Affiliation:
Active Duty
Population:
Adulthood (18 yrs & older)
Young adulthood (18 - 29 yrs)
Thirties (30 - 39 yrs)
Middle age (40 - 64 yrs)
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Research
Maffey, Katherine R.; Smith, David G.
2020
Cross-national research contends that women’s military participation has been associated with military function and organization, social structure, culture, and political factors. This exploratory study of Jordanian women suggests that these factors and their subcategories simultaneously help and hinder them. Using Segal’s updated model for women’s participation in the military, we explore how the meaning of Jordanian military women’s experiences compare in a cross-national theoretical framework. We review Segal’s updated model variables and compare it to interview data based on a grounded theory approach. Using semistructured interviews with a nonrandom sample of women who served in the Jordanian military or police, we place their experiences in a cross-national context and provide exploratory qualitative analysis of how these women navigated social and cultural norms. Our results showed that participants perceived their positive experiences and ability to achieve aspirations as enablers to their success, which they considered unlikely in the civilian workforce.
Depression symptoms as a potential mediator of the association between disordered eating symptoms and sexual function in women service members and veterans
APA Citation:
Livingston, W. S., Fargo, J. D., & Blais, R. K. (2022). Depression symptoms as a potential mediator of the association between disordered eating symptoms and sexual function in women service members and veterans. Military Psychology, 34(6), 687-696. https://doi.org/10.1080/08995605.2022.2052661
Focus:
Mental health
Physical health
Veterans
Branch of Service:
Army
Air Force
Navy
Marine Corps
Coast Guard
Multiple branches
Military Affiliation:
Veteran
Active Duty
Population:
Young adulthood (18 - 29 yrs)
Adulthood (18 yrs & older)
Thirties (30 - 39 yrs)
Middle age (40 - 64 yrs)
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Research & Summary
Livingston, Whitney S.; Fargo, Jamison D.; Blais, Rebecca K.
2022
Sexual dysfunction is associated with disorders commonly diagnosed in service members/veterans (SM/Vs; e.g., depression, posttraumatic stress disorder) and increased risk for suicide in service women. Theory indicates depression may play an important role in predicting sexual dysfunction in the presence of certain mental health challenges, such as disordered eating symptoms. Given the risk for depression and incidence of eating disorders in women SM/Vs, the current study examined whether depressive symptoms mediated the association of disordered eating symptoms and sexual dysfunction in women SM/Vs. Participants (n = 494) were recruited via social media and completed measures of sexual function, disordered eating symptoms, depressive symptom severity, a demographic inventory, and measures of relationship satisfaction and trauma exposure (covariates). Based on self-report measures, probable sexual dysfunction, eating disorder, and depressive disorders were found among 58.70%, 38.5%, and 44.13% of participants, respectively. The relationship of higher disordered eating symptoms and lower sexual function was indirect, through higher depressive symptoms (indirect effect: −0.57, 95% confidence interval: −0.82, −0.34). Findings underscore the importance of screening for sexual function, particularly when disordered eating behavior or depression is present. Integrating treatment for sexual function into existing treatments for women SM/Vs with disordered eating and depression symptoms may be valuable.
4 Suicide in U.S. women veterans: An interpersonal theory perspective on suicide prevention policies
Suicide in U.S. women veterans: An interpersonal theory perspective on suicide prevention policies
APA Citation:
Schuman, D.L, Cerel, J., & Praetorius, R.T. Suicide in U.S. women veterans: An interpersonal theory perspective on suicide prevention policies. Social Work in Public Health, 34(5), 418-429. https://doi.org/10.1080/19371918.2019.1616028
Focus:
Mental health
Veterans
Programming
Branch of Service:
Multiple branches
Military Affiliation:
Veteran
Active Duty
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Research
Schuman, Donna L.; Cerel, Julie; Praetorius, Regina T.
2019
Increases in suicide rates for U.S. women Service Members and Veterans have emerged as a public health issue of great concern. Women Veterans are more likely than their civilian counterparts to die by suicide, and rates of suicide for women Veterans are rising faster than rates for male Veterans. Given higher rates of suicide in combat-exposed males and increased rates of suicide associated with military deployment for women, the expansion of women into direct combat roles may further escalate their rates of suicide. The interpersonal theory of suicide provides a framework for the examination of women Veterans’ risk factors and how implementation of policy provisions can more effectively ameliorate suicide risk. Recent suicide prevention policy initiatives that target women Veterans’ unique needs are important steps; however, suicide prevention efforts should address specific risk factors contributing to thwarted belongingness, perceived burdensomeness, and the acquired capability for suicide in Veteran women.
5 Women veterans after transition to civilian life: An interpretative phenomenological analysis
Women veterans after transition to civilian life: An interpretative phenomenological analysis
APA Citation:
Boros, P., & Erolin, K. S. (2021). Women veterans after transition to civilian life: An interpretative phenomenological analysis. Journal of Feminist Family Therapy: An International Forum, 33(4), 330–353. https://doi.org/10.1080/08952833.2021.1887639
Focus:
Veterans
Mental health
Physical health
Branch of Service:
Army
Air Force
Multiple branches
Military Affiliation:
Veteran
Population:
Adulthood (18 yrs & older)
Middle age (40 - 64 yrs)
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Research
Boros, Paula; Erolin, Kara S.
2021
Women are important contributors in the United States military yet historically struggle for equality and equity. As women’s military service increases, literature has failed to keep up with the changes which affect women service members and veterans, especially civilian life transitions. Through a feminist framework, the current study explored the experiences of four women veterans who transitioned to civilian life utilizing interpretative phenomenological analysis to analyze semi-structured interviews. Connected by gender, seven superordinate themes emerged: family support, mandatory conformity, identity, service, gender inequality, symptoms, and opportunities. The findings indicated that military life and transition negatively impacted these women veterans’ mental, physical, and social well-being. In contribution to the gap in current literature, the authors discuss implications for research, clinicians, society, and the military.
Women veterans’ experiences of intimate partner violence and non-partner sexual assault in the context of military service: implications for supporting women’s health and well-being
APA Citation:
Dichter, M. E., Wagner, C., True, G. (2018). Women veterans’ experiences of intimate partner violence and non-partner sexual assault in the context of military service: Implications for supporting women’s health and well-being. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 33(6), 843-864. https://doi.org/10.1177/0886260516669166
Focus:
Couples
Trauma
Veterans
Branch of Service:
Air Force
Army
Coast Guard
Marine Corps
Multiple branches
Navy
Military Affiliation:
Veteran
Population:
Adulthood (18 yrs & older)
Young adulthood (18 - 29 yrs)
Thirties (30 - 39 yrs)
Middle age (40 - 64 yrs)
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Research & Summary
Dichter, Melissa E.; Wagner, Clara; True, Gala
2018
Women who have served in the military in the United States experience high rates of intimate partner violence (IPV) and non-partner sexual assault (SA). The military setting presents challenges and opportunities not experienced in other employment contexts that may compound the negative impacts of IPV/SA on women’s lives. The purpose of this study was to explore the intersection of women’s experiences of IPV/SA and military service through analysis of women veterans’ narrative accounts. We conducted in-depth face-to-face qualitative interviews with 25 women veterans receiving primary care at a U.S. Veterans Affairs Medical Center. We draw upon Adler and Castro’s (2013) Military Occupational Mental Health Model to frame our understanding of the impact of IPV/SA as a stressor in the military cultural context and to inform efforts to prevent, and support women service members who have experienced, these forms of violence. Our findings highlight the impact of IPV/SA on women’s military careers, including options for entering and leaving military service, job performance, and opportunities for advancement. Women’s narratives also reveal ways in which the military context constrains their options for responding to and coping with experiences of IPV/SA. These findings have implications for prevention of, and response to, intimate partner or sexual violence experienced by women serving in the military and underscore the need for both military and civilian communities to recognize and address the negative impact of such violence on women service members before, during, and after military service.
When women veterans return: the role of postsecondary education in transition in their civilian lives
APA Citation:
Albright, D. L., Thomas, K. H., McDaniel, J., Fletcher, K. L., Godfrey, K., Bertram, J., & Angel, C. (2019). When women veterans return: The role of postsecondary education in transition in their civilian lives. Journal of American College Health, 67(5), 479-485. https://doi.org/10.1080/07448481.2018.1494599
Focus:
Mental health
Programming
Veterans
Branch of Service:
Multiple branches
Military Affiliation:
Veteran
Population:
Adulthood (18 yrs & older)
Young adulthood (18 - 29 yrs)
Thirties (30 - 39 yrs)
Middle age (40 - 64 yrs)
Aged (65 yrs & older)
Very old (85 yrs & older)
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Research & Summary
Albright, David Luther; Thomas, Kate Hendricks; McDaniel, Justin; Fletcher, Kari Lynne; Godfrey, Kelli; Bertram, Jessica; Angel, Caroline
2019
Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess the current state of postsecondary educational settings’ outreach to military women who become students postservice. Participants: Data for the present cross-sectional study were obtained from the American College Health Association’s (ACHA) 2011–2014 National College Health Assessment II (NCHA). Methods: Demographic characteristics of the study sample were explored by calculating frequencies and percentages by military service status. Research questions were explored with Fisher’s exact test, maximum likelihood multiple logistic regression, as appropriate. Results: Women service member and veteran students received health information from their university/college less often than women students with no military experience on the following topics: alcohol and other drug use, depression and anxiety, sexual assault and relationship violence prevention, and stress reduction. Conclusions: The findings of this research identified clear gaps in service provision for women student veterans on college campuses and provided some possible models for intervention development.
8 Health profiles of military women and the impact of combat-related injury
Health profiles of military women and the impact of combat-related injury
APA Citation:
MacGregor, A. J., Zouris, J. M., Dougherty, A. L., & Dye, J. L. (2021). Health profiles of military women and the impact of combat-related injury. Women’s Health Issues, 31(4), 392–398. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.whi.2021.03.009
Focus:
Deployment
Physical health
Branch of Service:
Army
Air Force
Marine Corps
Navy
Multiple branches
Military Affiliation:
Active Duty
Population:
Adulthood (18 yrs & older)
Young adulthood (18 - 29 yrs)
Thirties (30 - 39 yrs)
Middle age (40 - 64 yrs)
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Research
MacGregor, Andrew J.; Zouris, James M.; Dougherty, Amber L.; Dye, Judy L.
2021
Purpose The role of women in the United States military is expanding. Women are now authorized to serve in all military occupations, including special operations and frontline combat units, which places them at increased risk of combat exposure and injury. Little is known regarding the impact of these injuries on the health of military women. Methods We conducted a retrospective matched cohort study of women service members who were injured during combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Injured women were individually matched to non-injured controls at a 1:4 ratio. Medical diagnostic codes were abstracted from outpatient encounters in electronic health records, and hierarchical clustering was conducted to identify clusters of diagnostic codes, termed “health profiles.” Conditional logistic regression was used to determine whether combat-related injury predicted membership in the profiles. Results The study sample included 590 injured women and 2360 non-injured controls. Cluster analysis identified six post-deployment health profiles: low morbidity, anxiety/headache, joint disorders, mixed musculoskeletal, pregnancy-related, and multimorbidity. Combat-related injury predicted membership in the anxiety/headache (odds ratio, 1.73; 95% confidence interval, 1.38–2.16) and multimorbidity (odds ratio, 3.43; 95% confidence interval, 2.65–4.43) profiles. Conclusions Combat-related injury is associated with adverse post-deployment health profiles among military women, and women with these profiles may experience increased health care burden. As future conflicts will likely see a greater number of women with combat exposure and injury, health outcomes research among military women is paramount for the purposes of medical planning and resource allocation.
“We really need this”: Trauma-informed yoga for veteran women with a history of military sexual trauma
APA Citation:
Braun, T. D., Uebelacker, L. A., Ward, M., Holzhauer, C. G., McCallister, K., & Abrantes, A. (2021). ““We really need this”: Trauma-informed yoga for veteran women with a history of military sexual trauma Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 59, 102729. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ctim.2021.102729
Focus:
Trauma
Veterans
Physical health
Branch of Service:
Multiple branches
Military Affiliation:
Veteran
Population:
Adulthood (18 yrs & older)
Young adulthood (18 - 29 yrs)
Thirties (30 - 39 yrs)
Middle age (40 - 64 yrs)
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Research
Braun, Tosca D.; Uebelacker, Lisa A.; Ward, Mariana; Holzhauer, Cathryn Glanton; McCallister, Kelly; Abrantes, Ana
2021
Objectives Up to 70% of women service members in the United States report military sexual trauma (MST); many develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and co-occurring disorders. Trauma-informed yoga (TIY) is suggested to improve psychiatric symptoms and shown feasible and acceptable in emerging research, yet no work has evaluated TIY in MST survivors. The current quality improvement project aimed to examine TIY’s feasibility, acceptability, and perceived effects in the context of MST. Design Collective case series (N = 7) Setting New England Vet Center Interventions Extant TIY program (Mindful Yoga Therapy) adapted for Veteran women with MST in concurrent psychotherapy. Main outcome measures Attrition and attendance; qualitative exit interview; validated self-report measure of negative affect pre/post each yoga class, and symptom severity assessments and surveys before (T1; Time 1) and after the yoga program (T2; Time 2). Results Feasibility was demonstrated and women reported TIY was acceptable. In qualitative interviews, women reported improved symptom severity, diet, exercise, alcohol use, sleep, and pain; reduced medication use; and themes related to stress reduction, mindfulness, and self-compassion. Regarding quantitative change, results suggest acute reductions in negative affect following yoga sessions across participants, as well as improved affect dysregulation, shame, and mindfulness T1 to T2. Conclusions TIY is both feasible and acceptable to Veteran women MST survivors in one specific Vet Center, with perceived behavioral health benefits. Results suggest TIY may target psychosocial mechanisms implicated in health behavior change (stress reduction, mindfulness, affect regulation, shame). Formal research should be conducted to confirm these QI project results.
Interpersonal trauma and sexual function and satisfaction: The mediating role of negative affect among survivors of military sexual trauma
APA Citation:
Blais, K. R., Zalta, K. A., & Livingston, S. W. (2020). Interpersonal trauma and sexual function and satisfaction: The mediating role of negative affect among survivors of military sexual trauma. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, (37)7-8, NP5517-NP5537 https://doi.org/10.1177/0886260520957693
Focus:
Mental health
Trauma
Veterans
Couples
Branch of Service:
Multiple branches
Army
Military Affiliation:
Active Duty
Veteran
Population:
Adulthood (18 yrs & older)
Young adulthood (18 - 29 yrs)
Thirties (30 - 39 yrs)
Middle age (40 - 64 yrs)
Share the article
Research
Blais, Rebecca K.; Zalta, Alyson K.; Livingston, Whitney S.
2022
Healthy sexual function among women service members/veterans (SM/Vs) is associated with higher quality of life, lower incidence and severity of mental health diagnoses, higher relationship satisfaction, and less frequent suicidal ideation. Although trauma exposure has been established as a predictor of poor sexual function and satisfaction in women SM/Vs, no study to date has examined whether specific trauma types, such as military sexual trauma (MST), increase risk for sexual issues. Moreover, the possible mechanisms of this association have not been explored. The current study examined whether posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression symptom clusters mediated the association of trauma type and sexual function and satisfaction in 426 trauma-exposed women SM/Vs. Two hundred seventy participants (63.4%) identified MST as their index trauma. Path analyses demonstrated that MST was related to poorer sexual function and lower satisfaction relative to the other traumas (
11 Medications with potential for fetal risk prescribed to veterans
Medications with potential for fetal risk prescribed to veterans
APA Citation:
Copeland, L. A., Kinney, R. L., Kroll-Desrosiers, A. R., Shivakumar, G., & Mattocks, K. M. (2022). Medications with potential for fetal risk prescribed to veterans. Journal of Women’s Health, 31(10), 1450-1458. https://doi.org/10.1089/jwh.2021.0529
Focus:
Parents
Physical health
Veterans
Branch of Service:
Multiple branches
Military Affiliation:
Veteran
Population:
Adulthood (18 yrs & older)
Young adulthood (18 - 29 yrs)
Thirties (30 - 39 yrs)
Middle age (40 - 64 yrs)
Share the article
Research
Copeland, Laurel A.; Kinney, Rebecca L.; Kroll-Desrosiers, Aimee R.; Shivakumar, Geetha; Mattocks, Kristin M.
2022
Introduction: Women service members of the past 20 years experienced high rates of traumatizing events resulting in pharmacological treatment. Post-military lives may include having children. Typically, Veterans Health Administration (VHA) patients' pregnancies are managed outside the VHA. This study examined medication exposures during pregnancy. Materials and Methods: The Center for Maternal and Infant Outcomes Research in Translation (COMFORT) study collected primary survey data and linked secondary health care data from the VHA from 2015 to 2021. Medication fills and covariates were extracted for three 9-month periods: preconception, pregnancy, and postpartum. Multiple regression assessed factors associated with use during pregnancy of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI)/serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) or of non-recommended, potentially risky drugs, and of discontinuation of those medications from prepregnancy to pregnancy. Results: The cohort comprised 501 women—29% Black, 65% White, and 6% other races, of whom 63% had 50%–100% service-connected disability. During pregnancy, 36% had a pain-related disorder, 19% major depression, and 18% post-traumatic stress disorder. The median number of drug classes prescribed during pregnancy was 5. The use of SSRI/SNRI antidepressants dropped from 36% preconception to 26% during pregnancy including new starts; 15% discontinued SSRI/SNRI. Comorbidity predicted medication use. Depression predicted discontinuing SSRI/SNRI during pregnancy; no predictors of discontinuing potentially risky drugs were identified. Conclusions: Based on prescriptions filled within the VHA only—ignoring potential community-based fills—women veterans were prescribed numerous medications during pregnancy and discontinued antidepressants alarmingly. Veterans of childbearing potential should receive counseling about medication use before pregnancy occurs. Their non-VHA obstetricians and VHA providers should share information to optimize outcomes, reviewing medications as soon as pregnancy is detected as well as after pregnancy concludes.
Military Sexual Trauma
APA Citation:
Frey-Ho Fung, R. A., Larsen, S. E., & Gobin, R. L. (2022). Military sexual trauma. In Geffner, R., White, J. W., Hamberger, L. K., Rosenbaum, A., Vaughan-Eden, V., & Vieth, V. I. (Eds.), Handbook of interpersonal violence and abuse across the lifespan (pp. 4015-4034). Springer Link. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-89999-2_194
Focus:
Veterans
Trauma
Mental health
Physical health
Branch of Service:
Multiple branches
Military Affiliation:
Veteran
Active Duty
Population:
Young adulthood (18 - 29 yrs)
Adulthood (18 yrs & older)
Thirties (30 - 39 yrs)
Middle age (40 - 64 yrs)
Share the article
Book Chapter
Frey-Ho Fung, Rae Anne; Larsen, Sadie E.; Gobin, Robyn L.; Geffner, Robert; White, Jacquelyn W.; Hamberger, L. Kevin; Rosenbaum, Alan; Vaughan-Eden, Viola; Vieth, Victor I.
2022
Military sexual trauma (MST) is defined by the Department of Veterans Affairs as sexual assault or repeated, threatening sexual harassment that occurred during military service. In the last two decades, increasing awareness of the widespread occurrence of MST has been the catalyst for national conversation. Estimates suggest that approximately 16% of service members report MST and three times that many may experience harassment. The organizational climate and culture of the military has been perceived as tolerant of harassment, and prevalent harassment is associated with high rates of sexual assault. While many service members are resilient, the experience of MST is associated with posttraumatic stress disorder, as well as a variety of emotional, physical, and functional impairments. Much of the research has focused on women service members; however, there are important differences to consider when taking into account the experiences of male survivors or sexual and gender minorities. Several empirically based interventions have demonstrated efficacy among survivors of MST. Treatment in this population must be tailored to the presenting diagnosis, as well as address rape myths and isolation. In the last decade, the Department of Defense has begun implementing practices and policies aimed at preventing MST, as well as improving access to care following MST; however, rates of MST remain high.
Mechanisms of the association between PTSD and sexual arousal and lubrication functioning among trauma-exposed female service members/veterans
APA Citation:
Blais, R. K., Bird, E., Sartin-Tarm, A., Campbell, S. B., & Lorenz, T. (2022). Mechanisms of the association between PTSD and sexual arousal and lubrication functioning among trauma-exposed female service members/veterans. Journal of Affective Disorders, 301, 352-359. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2021.12.106
Focus:
Mental health
Physical health
Trauma
Branch of Service:
Multiple branches
Military Affiliation:
Active Duty
Veteran
Population:
Young adulthood (18 - 29 yrs)
Adulthood (18 yrs & older)
Thirties (30 - 39 yrs)
Middle age (40 - 64 yrs)
Share the article
Research & Summary
Blais, Rebecca K.; Bird, Elizabeth; Sartin-Tarm, Annaliis; Campbell, Sarah B.; Lorenz, Tierney
2021
Background The presence of a post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) diagnosis or higher PTSD severity is associated with higher overall sexual dysfunction in female service members/veterans. However, the mechanisms linking PTSD to specific components of women's sexual arousal function, like lubrication and mental arousal, are unknown. Methods We conducted a survey among 464 women who reported probable Criterion A exposure for PTSD. Path analysis examined (1) the association of PTSD with sexual arousal, (2) whether specific PTSD symptom clusters were uniquely associated with sexual arousal, and (3) whether this association is indirect, through the effects of higher depression severity and lower romantic relationship satisfaction. Arousal was operationalized to measure both mental (subjective arousal) and physical (lubrication) experiences. Results Higher PTSD severity was associated with lower lubrication and arousal function. The association of PTSD severity with arousal was indirect, through lower romantic relationship satisfaction (estimate: -0.12; 95% CI: [-0.014, -0.007]) and higher depression (estimate: -0.08, 95% CI: [-0.012, -0.002]). The association of PTSD severity with lubrication was also indirect, but only through lower relationship satisfaction (estimate: -0.10, 95% CI: [-0.013, -0.006]). PTSD symptom clusters were not uniquely associated with arousal and lubrication through mediated pathways. Limitations Data were from a cross-sectional study using a convenience sample. Criterion A exposure could not be confirmed. Conclusions PTSD may lead to arousal and lubrication dysfunction by contributing to higher depression severity and strained romantic relationships. Interventions targeting reductions in depressive symptoms and bolstering relationship satisfaction may minimize the burden of PTSD on sexual arousal concerns.
Moral injury and suicidal ideation among female National Guard members: Indirect effects of perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness
APA Citation:
Shapiro, M. O., Houtsma, C., Schafer, K. M., True, G., Miller, L., & Anestis, M. (2022). Moral injury and suicidal ideation among female National Guard members: Indirect effects of perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness. Traumatology. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1037/trm0000424
Focus:
Mental health
Branch of Service:
Army
Multiple branches
Military Affiliation:
Active Duty
Population:
Young adulthood (18 - 29 yrs)
Adulthood (18 yrs & older)
Thirties (30 - 39 yrs)
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Research & Summary
Shapiro, Mary Oglesby; Houtsma, Claire; Schafer, Katherine Musacchio; True, Gala; Miller, Laura; Anestis, Michael
2022
Numerous reports have linked moral injury (i.e., experience or perpetration of a morally unjust event) with suicidal ideation and outcomes; however, little is known regarding mechanisms that may influence this association. According to empirically supported theories of suicide, thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness may lead to increased suicidal ideation. Furthermore, nascent research has linked thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness with moral injury. However, no work to date has examined whether thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness explain the association between moral injury and suicidal ideation. The current sample consisted of 151 female National Guard members recruited as part of a larger research study. Results indicated a significant association between moral injury and suicidal ideation that was indirect through thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness. These findings highlight important and malleable mechanisms that may lead to increased suicide risk among women exposed to morally injurious events. Furthermore, this work extends our current understanding of moral injury and suicide by examining these constructs among a sample of female service members.
15 Postpartum depression in a military sample
Postpartum depression in a military sample
APA Citation:
Appolonio, K., & Fingerhut, R. (2008). Postpartum depression in a military sample. Military Medicine, 173(11), 1085-1091. doi:10.7205/MILMED.173.11.1085
Focus:
Mental health
Branch of Service:
Air Force
Army
Multiple branches
Navy
Military Affiliation:
Guard
Reserve
Population:
Adulthood (18 yrs & older)
Young adulthood (18 - 29 yrs)
Thirties (30 - 39 yrs)
Middle age (40 - 64 yrs)
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Research & Summary
Appolonio, Kathryn K.; Fingerhut, Randy
2008
Postpartum depression (PPD) affects nearly 1 in 8 mothers and has many negative implications. Studies show particular risk factors are linked with PPD. There are nearly 200,000 women serving in the U.S. Armed Forces, but little is known regarding PPD and active duty (AD) mothers. This study examined rates and risk factors for AD mothers and found that 19.5% were positive for PPD symptoms. Ten significant psychosocial factors were associated with PPD, including low self-esteem, prenatal anxiety, prenatal depression, history of previous depression, social support, poor marital satisfaction, life stress, child care stress, difficult infant temperament, and maternity blues. This study has implications for prevention, identification, and treatment of AD military women with PPD. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved)
Self-reported stressors of National Guard women veterans before and after deployment: The relevance of interpersonal relationships
APA Citation:
Yan, G. W., McAndrew, L., D’Andrea, E. A., Lange, G., Santos, S. L., Engel, C. C., & Quigley, K. S. (2013). Self-reported stressors of National Guard women veterans before and after deployment: The relevance of interpersonal relationship. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 28(2), 549-555. doi:10.1007/s11606-012-2247-6
Focus:
Deployment
Mental health
Veterans
Branch of Service:
Army
Military Affiliation:
Guard
Reserve
Veteran
Population:
Adulthood (18 yrs & older)
Young adulthood (18 - 29 yrs)
Thirties (30 - 39 yrs)
Middle age (40 - 64 yrs)
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Research & Summary
Yan, Grace W.; McAndrew, Lisa; D’Andrea, Elizabeth A.; Lange, Gudrun; Santos, Susan L.; Engel, Charles C.; Quigley, Karen S.
2013
ABSTRACTBACKGROUNDWith their rapidly expanding roles in the military, women service members experience significant stressors throughout their deployment experience. However, there are few studies that examine changes in women Veterans’ stressors before and after deployment.OBJECTIVEThis study examines the types of stressors women Veterans report before deployment, immediately after deployment, 3 months after deployment, and 1 year post-deployment.DESIGNDescriptive data on reported stressors was collected at four time points of a longitudinal study (HEROES Project). Open-ended responses from the Coping Response Inventory (CRI) were coded into six possible major stressor categories for analysis.PARTICIPANTSSeventy-nine Army National Guard and Reserve female personnel deploying to Operation Enduring Freedom (OFF)/Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) were surveyed prior to deployment. Of these participants, 35 women completed Phase 2, 41 completed Phase 3, and 48 completed Phase 4 of the study.KEY RESULTSWe identified six major stressor categories: (1) interpersonal (i.e., issues with family and/or friends), (2) deployment-related and military-related, (3) health concerns, (4) death of a loved one, (5) daily needs (i.e., financial/housing/transportation concerns), and (6) employment or school-related concerns. At all time points, interpersonal issues were one of the most common type of stressor for this sample. Daily needs concerns increased from 3 months post-deployment to 1 year post-deployment.CONCLUSIONSInterpersonal concerns are commonly reported by women Veterans both before and after their combat experience, suggesting that this is a time during which interpersonal support is especially critical. We discuss implications, which include the need for a more coordinated approach to women Veterans’ health care (e.g., greater community-based outreach), and the need for more and more accessible Veterans Affairs (VA) services to address the needs of female Veterans.
“A woman in a man’s world”: A pilot qualitative study of challenges faced by women veterans during and after deployment
APA Citation:
Brown, E. K., Guthrie, K. M., Stange, M., & Creech, S. (2021). 'A woman in a man’s world’: A pilot qualitative study of challenges faced by women veterans during and after deployment. Journal of Trauma & Dissociation, 22(2), 202-219. https://doi.org/10.1080/15299732.2020.1869068
Focus:
Veterans
Trauma
Branch of Service:
Army
Navy
Air Force
Multiple branches
Military Affiliation:
Veteran
Guard
Reserve
Active Duty
Population:
Adulthood (18 yrs & older)
Young adulthood (18 - 29 yrs)
Thirties (30 - 39 yrs)
Middle age (40 - 64 yrs)
Aged (65 yrs & older)
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Research
Brown, E. K.; Guthrie, K. M.; Stange, Mia; Creech, Suzannah
2021
Women Veterans face gender-specific challenges to military life and post-deployment readjustment, including gender-based discrimination and military sexual trauma. Despite recent military initiatives to address these issues, women still experience unique challenges during military service. This study examines spontaneous comments about gender-specific challenges to military life that were made by participants in a qualitative study of women’s transitions to civilian life after deployment to Iraq or Afghanistan. Methods: Women Veterans who were enrolled at a New England VA hospital and who had deployed to the U.S. conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan participated in this qualitative study (N = 22). Interview queries and initial coding structure were developed through an extensive literature review. An iterative coding process generated additional themes identified in the data. For this project, codes regarding self-initiated reports of gender-specific challenges that fell outside the scope of the study’s initial interview agenda were reviewed for thematic analysis. Results: The following three self-initiated themes emerged among 12 respondents: 1) gender-based scrutiny and discrimination; 2) the military’s inadequate position and response to military sexual trauma; and 3) disadvantages to women service members living in a male-dominated environment. Across all three themes emerged a sub-theme in which women perceived their unique needs to be inconvenient and/or disregarded. Respondents described how these challenges disrupted their lives during and after military service. Conclusion: Results imply gender-specific challenges and military sexual trauma remain critical concerns for women Veterans well after deployment had ended, and that improved policy may have long-term health implications.
Mental health and health risk behaviors of active duty sexual minority and transgender service members in the United States military
APA Citation:
Holloway, I. W., Green, D., Pickering, C., Wu, E., Tzen, M., Goldbach, J. T., & Castro, C. A. (2021). Mental health and health risk behaviors of active duty sexual minority and transgender service members in the United States military. LGBT Health, 8(2), 152–161. https://doi.org/10.1089/lgbt.2020.0031
Focus:
Mental health
Substance use
Physical health
Trauma
Other
Branch of Service:
Multiple branches
Air Force
Army
Marine Corps
Navy
Military Affiliation:
Active Duty
Population:
Adulthood (18 yrs & older)
Young adulthood (18 - 29 yrs)
Thirties (30 - 39 yrs)
Middle age (40 - 64 yrs)
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Research & Summary
Holloway, Ian W.; Green, Daniel; Pickering, Chad; Wu, Elizabeth; Tzen, Michael; Goldbach, Jeremy T.; Castro, Carl A.
2021
Purpose: The aim of this study was to examine health risk behaviors and mental health outcomes among sexual minority and transgender active duty military service members and their heterosexual and cisgender counterparts. Methods: Participants (N = 544) were recruited by using respondent-driven sampling between August 2017 and March 2018 and completed an online survey by using validated measures of cigarette smoking, alcohol use, anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and suicidality. Bayesian random intercept multiple logistic regressions were used to understand differences between sexual minority participants and heterosexual participants as well as between transgender participants and both their cisgender sexual minority and cisgender heterosexual peers. Results: Cisgender sexual minority women service members were more likely to meet criteria for problematic alcohol use (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 10.11) and cigarette smoking (aOR = 7.12) than cisgender heterosexual women. Cisgender sexual minority men had greater odds of suicidality (aOR = 4.73) than their cisgender heterosexual counterparts. Transgender service members had greater odds of anxiety, PTSD, depression, and suicidality than their cisgender peers. Conclusion: Military researchers and policymakers who seek to improve the overall health and well-being of sexual minority and transgender service members should consider programs and policies that are tailored to specific health outcomes and unique sexual minority and transgender subgroups.
Psychosocial functioning deficits impact and are impacted by suicidal ideation in post-9/11 women veterans
APA Citation:
Lawrence, K. A., Vogt, D., Dugan, A. J., Nigam, S., Slade, E., & Smith, B. N. (2022). Psychosocial functioning deficits impacts and are impacted by suicidal ideation in post-9/11 women veterans. Journal of Affective Disorders Reports, 9, Article 100361. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadr.2022.100361
Focus:
Veterans
Mental health
Branch of Service:
Marine Corps
Air Force
Army
Navy
Multiple branches
Military Affiliation:
Veteran
Population:
Young adulthood (18 - 29 yrs)
Adulthood (18 yrs & older)
Thirties (30 - 39 yrs)
Middle age (40 - 64 yrs)
Aged (65 yrs & older)
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Research & Summary
Lawrence, Karen A.; Vogt, Dawne; Dugan, Adam J.; Nigam, Shawn; Slade, Emily; Smith, Brian N.
2022
Women veterans in the United States (U.S.) are known to be at greater risk for suicide than non-veteran women (Hoffmire et al., 2021). Suicidal ideation (SI) is an established early predictor of suicide (Klonsky et al., 2016). Yet, to our knowledge, associations between psychosocial functioning and SI, over time, have not been examined in women veterans. Broadly, psychosocial functioning has been defined with respect to a micro-level context consisting of daily functioning such as in work and family roles as well as a macro-level context comprising the pursuit of life goals and values (Ro and Clark, 2009). The present study is focused on the micro-level context and uses a measure designed to assess micro-level psychosocial functioning in the context of trauma-related psychopathology (Bovin et al., 2018). Aspects of psychosocial functioning have been identified as gender-specific risk factors associated with suicide attempt and death. For example, among post-9/11 service members, female gender was associated with a cluster of risk factors for suicide attempt and death that included presence of a psychiatric diagnosis and prior self-directed violence with an additional risk factor for suicide death being a recent failed intimate relationship (Skopp et al., 2016). In contrast, male gender was associated with a cluster of suicide attempt and death risk factors that were of a more externalizing and antisocial nature (Skopp et al., 2016). Yet, whether psychosocial functioning such as intimate relationship functioning also affects SI in women veterans is unknown. Given that SI is upstream of suicidal behavior in the ideation-to-action framework (Klonsky et al., 2016), understanding associations between psychosocial functioning and SI has implications for prevention of suicidal behavior. Although intimate relationship functioning was identified as a suicide risk factor among women service members, this and other psychosocial functioning domains may warrant attention after military service completion. Reintegrating post-9/11 women veterans are known to be more likely to report negative relationship and family experiences including divorce, relative to veteran men and non-veteran women (Adler-Baeder et al., 2006; Beder et al., 2011; U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 2014). Additionally, women veterans are more likely than veteran men to report being unemployed (Vogt et al., 2017). Therefore, psychosocial functioning, such as work and family functioning, are important factors to consider with respect to women veterans’ mental health and within the context of their readjustment to civilian life after military service completion. The present study extends prior research which showed that PTSD and depression symptom severity are bi-directionally related to psychosocial functioning in women veterans (Lawrence et al., 2021). Our objective in this study was to test the hypothesis that a bi-directional association would exist between SI and work, relationship, and parental domains of psychosocial functioning in women veterans, such that worsening functioning would exacerbate subsequent SI, and changes in SI would also impact subsequent psychosocial functioning.
20 Examining rates of postpartum depression in Active Duty U.S. military servicewomen
Examining rates of postpartum depression in Active Duty U.S. military servicewomen
APA Citation:
Nicholson, J. H., Moore, B. A., Dondanville, K., Wheeler, B., & DeVoe, E. R. (2020). Examining rates of postpartum depression in active duty US military servicewomen. Journal of Women’s Health, 29(12), 1530-1539. https://doi.org/10.1089/jwh.2019.8172
Focus:
Mental health
Parents
Branch of Service:
Air Force
Army
Marine Corps
Navy
Multiple branches
Military Affiliation:
Active Duty
Population:
Adulthood (18 yrs & older)
Young adulthood (18 - 29 yrs)
Thirties (30 - 39 yrs)
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Research & Summary
Nicholson, Juliann H.; Moore, Brian A.; Dondanville, Katherine; Wheeler, Brigid; DeVoe, Ellen R.
2020
Background: Postpartum depression (PPD) is understudied in military populations. The present descriptive transversal study evaluated the incidence of PPD diagnoses in U.S. military electronic health records, based on International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) and ICD-10 codes, among active duty military servicewomen between 2001 and 2018.Methods: Data on 3,724 active duty military servicewomen who served between 2001 and 2018 were drawn from the Defense Medical Epidemiological Database and stratified by race, age, marital status, service branch, and military pay grade. Single sample chi squares were used to examine observed versus expected differences in diagnosis rates.Results: The incidence rate of PPD among all U.S. military servicewomen was the lowest in 2001 (1.96 per 1,000) and the highest in 2018 (29.95 per 1,000). Servicewomen most often diagnosed with PPD were white (60%), married (74%), in the enlisted pay grades of E-1 to E-4 (60%), in the Army (43%), and were between 20 and 24 years old (46%). Statistically significant differences (p < 0.001) were found between observed and expected counts across all five demographic variables.Conclusions: This is the first population-based study to assess the incidence rates of PPD among all active duty military servicewomen. Findings that some groups were over- and underdiagnosed within each demographic category, and that PPD incidence rates have increased between 2001 and 2018, underscore the importance of further research to inform policies and interventions supporting this vulnerable population.
1 A SALUTE TO OUR WOMEN SERVICE MEMBERS FOR WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH
Posted by Sherman, Haley
2 PERSPECTIVES OF SERVICE AMONG WOMEN SERVICE MEMBERS AND VETERANS
Posted by Tidwell, Allison
