ABSTRACT
Mental health problems in service members often go untreated. This study focused on factors related to interest in receiving help in a survey sample of 577 combat veterans who were screened positive for posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, or generalized anxiety disorder 3 months after returning from Iraq. Over three quarters of respondents recognized that they had a current problem, but only 40% were interested in receiving help. Interest in receiving help was associated with recognizing a problem and receiving mental health services in the past year. More negative attitudes toward mental health care were associated with lower interest in receiving help; paradoxically, more negative perceptions of unit stigma were associated with increased interest in receiving help. Further studies are needed to better define the relationship between stigma perceptions, interest in receiving care, and actual care utilization and to determine whether attitudes toward mental health care can be modified through changes in how care is delivered. Attitudes toward mental health care should be considered in treatment interventions.
Subject(s)
Combat Disorders/psychology , Mental Disorders/therapy , Military Personnel/psychology , Patient Acceptance of Health Care/psychology , Social Stigma , Veterans/psychology , Adolescent , Adult , Female , Health Services Accessibility , Humans , Iraq War, 2003-2011 , Male , Mental Disorders/psychology , Mental Health Services , Middle AgedABSTRACT
The changing role of the military presents a unique challenge for military behavioral health organizations in dealing with the geographic isolation of personnel. Telemedical solutions should help to meet this challenge. In the behavioral health arena, there are many uses for videoconferencing and other communications technology in maintaining continuity when patients or clinicians travel or deploy; assisting isolated behavioral health-care providers and general practitioners; evaluating and treating isolated military personnel; and addressing family issues. Family interventions by videoconference and other communications technology may be particularly useful in treating military personnel and in promoting morale of the fighting force. Although much remains to be researched and proven empirically, anecdotal experience supports the utility of using communications technology to enhance behavioral health interventions. This article describes the clinical videoconference experience within the Department of Psychiatry at Tripler Army Medical Center (TAMC), during a Multinational force deployment to the Sinai, and during training at the Joint Readiness Training Center, Fort Polk, Louisiana. A brief discussion of potential legal issues involving videoconferencing in behavioral health is also included.
