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Majority of PTSD Patients Receive Little to No Treatment
The majority of veterans and nonveterans with signs of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) do not receive treatment, according to study results published in Medical Care.
"Given that most individuals do not receive PTSD treatment, additional understanding of treatment barriers and facilitators for both veterans and nonveterans is needed to improve intervention reach," lead author Rachel M. Ranney, PhD, San Francisco VA Health Care System, and co-authors noted.
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The study included 2775 participants who met the criteria for PTSD using the PTSD Checklist. Of those, 2508 participants were veterans, and 267 were nonveterans. Participants were pulled from a nationwide, population-based survey and reported their trauma history, mental health symptoms, and treatment history.
More than half of the participants with probable PTSD had not received any treatment—56% of the veterans and 86% of the nonveterans. Veterans were more likely to receive medication and psychotherapy than nonveterans, particularly those with Veterans Affairs (VA) health care coverage. Though, Black veterans were less likely to have received this treatment than white veterans. In nonveterans, married or divorced participants were more likely to receive medication as opposed to those that had never been married. Those who reported a history of sexual trauma were more likely to receive psychotherapy.
"Public health efforts should focus on educating patients and providers about the nature and benefit of treatment for PTSD and associated symptoms," authors concluded. "Systemic change may be necessary to increase the availability of care for PTSD—especially for psychotherapy, which requires a higher time investment from providers."
