Background/Rationale: Veterans who have participated in Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) or Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) have high rates of specific health problems that include (but are not limited to) PTSD, adjustment disorders, and other stress-related symptom complexes. These veterans also often have difficulty accessing effective services for their health problems. While these barriers can be due to system problems, lack of engagement of OIF/OEF veterans in the process of care can also be a significant factor. Novel clinical strategies for providing outreach to OIF/OEF veterans can potentially improve their overall health and sense of well being. Objectives: The overall goal of our research program is to improve the ability of veterans to engage in clinical services and to make informed decisions about their health care. This pilot project will test strategies for recruiting OIF/OEF veterans who are suitable for the project and perform developmental work on the attitudinal instruments to be used in the subsequent larger study. Project Methods: Both qualitative and quantitative methodologies (mixed methods) will be used. All study participants will be OIF/OEF veterans with stress-related symptoms. Participant recruitment will be conducted through Vet Centers, veteran organizations, and VA clinics. The pilot project will develop new study instruments. These will be adapted from existing instruments that measure decisional conflict, stigma, and participation in decision making. The results of individual interviews will be used to develop and modify the instrument items. The study instruments will also be tested for face validity, internal consistency, and test/retest reliability.
Anticipated Impacts on Veterans Healthcare: This project will perform necessary preliminary work for a planned subsequent study. The subsequent study will develop, disseminate, and rigorously evaluate targeted information tools designed to assist veterans with deployment-related symptoms to make decisions about seeking health care and to discuss their problems with providers. Our planned research program will provide insight into the usefulness of such tools for helping veterans to engage in decision making about seeking care for stress-related symptoms and overcoming stigma associated with a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
