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Correlates and predictors of mental health care utilization for veterans with PTSD: A systematic review.

ABSTRACT: OBJECTIVE:Treatment utilization among veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is low. Understanding correlates and predictors of mental health care for veterans with PTSD is critical to facilitating treatment utilization. However, given the size of the literature base and disparate findings, it is difficult to interpret available research. Correlates and predictors of mental health care for veterans with PTSD published between 2012 and 2016 were examined to (a) define the scope of recent literature and (b) summarize predictive evidence. METHOD:This 2-phase systematic review conducted scientific database searches. Phase 1 defined the scope of recent literature (n = 51) and tabulated types of correlates, outcomes, and sources of bias. Phase 2 summarized results from prospective studies (n = 17) evaluating mental health care utilization (PROSPERO ID No. CRD42017082686). RESULTS:Demographics-social network characteristics (61%) and evaluated need (61%) were the most common correlates of mental health utilization. Facilitators with the strongest evidence for predicting utilization (both initiation and retention) were characteristics of the episode of care (e.g., mental health in primary care) and greater PTSD symptom severity. Study biases favoring Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) enrollees (92%) and excluding outside VA care outcomes (86%) limit generalizability of results. CONCLUSIONS:Efforts focused on providing mental health in primary care, interventions to address mental health beliefs, and outreach to racial-ethnic minority veterans and those with mild to moderate PTSD could increase mental health care utilization. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

SUBMITTER: Johnson EM

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6800588 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Correlates and predictors of mental health care utilization for veterans with PTSD: A systematic review.

Johnson Emily M EM Possemato Kyle K

Psychological trauma : theory, research, practice and policy 20190418 8

<h4>Objective</h4>Treatment utilization among veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is low. Understanding correlates and predictors of mental health care for veterans with PTSD is critical to facilitating treatment utilization. However, given the size of the literature base and disparate findings, it is difficult to interpret available research. Correlates and predictors of mental health care for veterans with PTSD published between 2012 and 2016 were examined to (a) define the scop ...[more]

PMID: 30998061

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Project description:BackgroundGiven increasing numbers of people experiencing transitions in health insurance due to declines in employer-sponsored insurance and changes in health policy, the understanding and application of health insurance terms and concepts (health insurance literacy) may be important for navigating use of health care. The study objective was to systematically review evidence on the relationship between health insurance literacy and health care utilization.MethodsMedline, SCOPUS, Web of Science, CINAHL, PsychInfo, Cochrane Library, and reference lists of published literature were searched in August 2019. Quantitative, qualitative, and intervention studies that assessed the association of health insurance literacy as the exposure and health care utilization as the outcome were identified, without language or date restrictions. Outcomes were independently assessed by 2-3 reviewers.ResultsTwenty-one studies including a total of 62,416 subjects met inclusion criteria: three interventional trials, two mixed-methods studies, and sixteen cross-sectional studies. Ten of thirteen preventive care studies suggested that higher health insurance literacy was associated with greater utilization of primary care and other preventive services. Eight of nine studies of care avoidance demonstrated that individuals with lower health insurance literacy were more likely to delay or avoid care. A few studies had mixed results regarding the utilization of emergency department, inpatient, and surgical care.DiscussionThe emerging literature in this area suggests that health insurance literacy is an important factor that can enable effective utilization of health care, including primary care and preventive services. However, the literature is limited by a paucity of studies using validated tools that broadly measure health insurance literacy (rather than testing knowledge of specific covered services). Improving health insurance literacy of the general public and increasing plain language communication of health insurance plan features at the point of health care navigation may encourage more effective and cost-conscious utilization.

Project description:ImportanceWomen veterans increasingly seek care yet continue to face barriers in the Veterans Health Administration (VA), which predominantly cares for men. Evidence-based collaborative care models can improve patient access to treatment of depression, which is experienced at higher rates by women. While the VA has implemented these care models nationally, it is not known whether access improvements occur equitably across genders in primary care.ObjectiveTo examine whether the VA's national Primary Care-Mental Health Integration (PC-MHI) initiative (beginning 2007) expanded realized access to mental health care similarly for men and women.Design, setting, and participantsThis cohort study included 5 377 093 million primary care patients assigned to 396 VA clinics that provided integrated mental health services nationally between October 2013 and September 2016. Data analysis occurred between May 2017 and July 2020.ExposuresClinic PC-MHI penetration, calculated as the proportion of clinic patients who saw an integrated specialist per fiscal year.Main outcomes and measuresEstimates of mean VA health care utilization (mental health, primary care, other specialty care, telephone, hospitalizations) and median total costs for men and women. Multilevel models adjusted for year, clinic, patient characteristics, and interactions between patient-defined gender and clinic PC-MHI penetration.ResultsThis study examined 5 377 093 veterans (448 455 [8.3%] women; 3 744 140 [69.6%] White) with a mean (SD) baseline age 62.0 (16.6) years. Each percentage-point increase in the proportion of clinic patients who saw an integrated specialist was associated with 38% fewer mental health visits per year for women (incidence rate ratio [IRR], 0.62; 95% CI, 0.60-0.65), but 39% more visits for men (IRR, 1.39; 95% CI, 1.34-1.44; P < .001). Both men and women had more primary care visits (men: IRR, 1.40; 95% CI, 1.36-1.45; women: IRR, 1.22; 95% CI, 1.17-1.28; P < .001) and total costs (men: β [SE], 2.23 [0.10]; women: β [SE], 1.24 [0.15]; P = .06), but women had 74% fewer hospitalizations than men related to clinics with mental health integration (IRR, 0.26; 95% CI, 0.19-0.36 vs IRR, 1.02; 95% CI, 0.83-1.24; P < .001).Conclusions and relevanceWhile greater outpatient service use for men was observed in this study, PC-MHI was associated with a decrease in mental health specialty visits (and hospitalizations) for women veterans, potentially signifying a shift of services to primary care. With increasing patient choice for where veterans receive care, the VA must tailor medical care to the needs of rising numbers of women patients. Differences in health care utilization by gender highlight the importance of anticipating policy impacts on and tailoring services for patients in the numerical minority in the VA and other health systems.

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Correlates and predictors of mental health care utilization for veterans with PTSD: A systematic review.

Publications

Correlates and predictors of mental health care utilization for veterans with PTSD: A systematic review.

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