Grau Peter P, Boyd Meredith R, Tu Joseph W, Paulson Julia L, Porter Katherine E, Sexton Minden B
Veterans Affairs Center for Clinical Management Research, Health Services Research and Development, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System, MI, USA.
J Interpers Violence. 2025 Sep;40(17-18):4181-4202. doi: 10.1177/08862605241285924. Epub 2024 Oct 8.
Approximately 16% of Veterans experience military sexual trauma (MST), defined as sexual assault or harassment experienced during military service. Veterans across life stages may possess differing resources and face unique stressors that impact their ability to engage in mental health treatment or require additional liaison to services. The present study sought to characterize age-related differences in the socioecological contexts of Veterans seeking mental health treatment following MST in the domains of economic sufficiency, housing, spiritual coping, supportive relationships, and interpersonal violence. From 2009 to 2019, Veterans ( = 640) seeking mental health services following exposure to MST attended evaluation and treatment planning sessions at a Midwestern Veterans Health Administration posttraumatic stress disorder specialty clinic. Veterans completed semistructured interviews that included surveys and diagnostic screenings to assess psychosocial needs and resources. ANOVA and ordinal regressions were used to evaluate potential disparities in socioecological resources by age. No age-related differences in economic sufficiency and stable housing emerged, though most Veterans (57%) endorsed financial difficulties. Veterans who endorsed spiritual beliefs were significantly older than those who did not. Veterans who reported having a support system were significantly younger than Veterans who denied having a support system. Less than half (46%) of Veteran reported having peer relationships. Veterans who endorsed frequent interaction with their peers were significantly older than those who did not. Veterans who reported past-year exposure to interpersonal violence were significantly younger. Greater clarity about age-related differences in the socioecological contexts of Veterans can support clinicians in providing responsive mental health treatment and connecting Veterans to additional Veterans Health Administration resources following MST.
约16%的退伍军人经历过军事性创伤（MST），即服役期间遭受的性侵犯或性骚扰。不同人生阶段的退伍军人可能拥有不同的资源，并面临独特的压力源，这些会影响他们接受心理健康治疗的能力，或需要与更多服务进行联络。本研究旨在描述在经济自给、住房、精神应对、支持性人际关系和人际暴力等领域，遭受MST后寻求心理健康治疗的退伍军人社会生态环境中与年龄相关的差异。2009年至2019年期间，遭受MST后寻求心理健康服务的退伍军人（n = 640）在中西部退伍军人健康管理局创伤后应激障碍专科诊所参加了评估和治疗计划会议。退伍军人完成了半结构化访谈，其中包括调查和诊断筛查，以评估心理社会需求和资源。方差分析和有序回归用于评估社会生态资源按年龄的潜在差异。经济自给和稳定住房方面未出现与年龄相关的差异，不过大多数退伍军人（57%）认可存在经济困难。认可有精神信仰的退伍军人比没有精神信仰的退伍军人年龄显著更大。报告有支持系统的退伍军人比否认有支持系统的退伍军人年龄显著更小。不到一半（46%）的退伍军人报告有同伴关系。认可与同伴频繁互动的退伍军人比不认可的退伍军人年龄显著更大。报告过去一年遭受人际暴力的退伍军人年龄显著更小。更清楚地了解退伍军人社会生态环境中与年龄相关的差异，有助于临床医生提供针对性的心理健康治疗，并在退伍军人遭受MST后将他们与退伍军人健康管理局的更多资源联系起来。
