The mental health impact of COVID‐19–related stressors among treatment‐seeking trauma‐exposed veterans

Abstract Trauma‐exposed veterans receiving mental health care may have an elevated risk of experiencing COVID‐19–related difficulties. Using data from several ongoing clinical trials (N = 458), this study examined exposure to COVID‐19–related stressors and their associations with key sociodemographic factors and mental health outcomes. The results showed that exposure to COVID‐19–related stressors was common, higher among veterans who were racial/ethnic minorities d = 0.32, and associated with elevated posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), r = .288, and depressive symptom severity, r = .246. Women veterans experienced more difficulty accessing social support, d = 0.31, and higher levels of COVID‐19–related distress, d = 0.31, than men. Qualitative data were consistent with survey findings and highlighted the broader societal context in veterans’ experience of COVID‐19–related distress. These findings may inform future research on the impact of the pandemic on veterans, particularly those who are women and members of minoritized racial/ethnic groups, as well as mental health treatment planning for this population.

[1]  E. Wolf,et al.  Premorbid traumatic stress and veteran responses to the COVID‐19 pandemic , 2021, Journal of traumatic stress.

[2]  S. Southwick,et al.  Resilience in the Face of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A National Study of US Military Veterans. , 2021, The primary care companion for CNS disorders.

[3]  D. Murphy,et al.  The impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on treatment‐seeking veterans in the United Kingdom with preexisting mental health difficulties: A longitudinal study , 2021, Journal of traumatic stress.

[4]  E. Brakemeier,et al.  Mental Health in Times of the COVID-19 Pandemic , 2021, European Psychologist.

[5]  E. Robinson,et al.  A systematic review and meta-analysis of longitudinal cohort studies comparing mental health before versus during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 , 2021, Journal of Affective Disorders.

[6]  R. Lanius,et al.  Well-being of Canadian Veterans during the COVID-19 pandemic: cross-sectional results from the COVID-19 Veteran well-being study , 2021, European journal of psychotraumatology.

[7]  J. Krystal,et al.  Mental health impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in U.S. military veterans: a population-based, prospective cohort study , 2021, Psychological Medicine.

[8]  J. Stockman,et al.  Racial and Ethnic Differences in COVID-19 Outcomes, Stressors, Fear, and Prevention Behaviors Among US Women: Web-Based Cross-sectional Study , 2020, Journal of medical Internet research.

[9]  S. Southwick,et al.  Prevalence, risk and protective factors associated with suicidal ideation during the COVID-19 pandemic in U.S. military veterans with pre-existing psychiatric conditions , 2021, Journal of Psychiatric Research.

[10]  Melissa L. Finucane,et al.  A longitudinal study of psychological distress in the United States before and during the COVID-19 pandemic , 2020, Preventive Medicine.

[11]  A. Kolias,et al.  Resilience in the Face of the COVID-19 Pandemic: How to Bend and not Break , 2020, World Neurosurgery.

[12]  D. Murphy,et al.  Exploring the impact of COVID-19 and restrictions to daily living as a result of social distancing within veterans with pre-existing mental health difficulties , 2020, BMJ military health.

[13]  Kerri E. Rodriguez,et al.  Service Dogs for Veterans and Military Members With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: Replication With the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5. , 2020, Journal of traumatic stress.

[14]  Justin Thomas,et al.  The role of perceived social support on depression and sleep during the COVID-19 pandemic , 2020, Psychiatry Research.

[15]  R. McIntyre,et al.  Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on mental health in the general population: A systematic review , 2020, Journal of Affective Disorders.

[16]  R. Pietrzak,et al.  Associations of childhood abuse and combat exposure with suicidal ideation and suicide attempt in U.S. military veterans: a nationally representative study. , 2020, Journal of affective disorders.

[17]  Jinrong Yang,et al.  Comparison of Prevalence and Associated Factors of Anxiety and Depression Among People Affected by versus People Unaffected by Quarantine During the COVID-19 Epidemic in Southwestern China , 2020, Medical science monitor : international medical journal of experimental and clinical research.

[18]  M. Agha,et al.  The socio-economic implications of the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19): A review , 2020, International Journal of Surgery.

[19]  Ashwin Venkatesh,et al.  Social distancing in covid-19: what are the mental health implications? , 2020, BMJ.

[20]  T. Jensen,et al.  A Longitudinal Study of Psychological Distress and Exposure to Trauma Reminders After Terrorism , 2017, Psychological trauma : theory, research, practice and policy.

[21]  Terence M Keane,et al.  Psychometric properties of the PTSD Checklist for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-Fifth Edition (PCL-5) in veterans. , 2016, Psychological assessment.

[22]  A. Ehlers,et al.  A prospective study of pre-trauma risk factors for post-traumatic stress disorder and depression , 2016, Psychological Medicine.

[23]  J. Piette,et al.  Prevalence, Comorbidity, and Prognosis of Mental Health Among US Veterans. , 2015, American journal of public health.

[24]  E. Walker,et al.  Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders , 2013 .

[25]  A. Surís,et al.  Military Sexual Trauma , 2008, Trauma, violence & abuse.

[26]  Lord Vaizey.  Socio-economic implications , 1977 .

[27]  Jacob Cohen.  Statistical Power Analysis for the Behavioral Sciences , 1969, The SAGE Encyclopedia of Research Design.

[28]  R. Spitzer,et al.  The PHQ-9: validity of a brief depression severity measure. , 2001, Journal of general internal medicine.