Military sexual trauma among women Veterans using VHA Mental Health Services

Background: Military Sexual Trauma (MST), the VA term for sexual assault or harassment during military service, is reported by 1 in 5 women in VA. MST is associated with increased risk for a range of mental health conditions, including PTSD, depression, and substance use disorders. This presentation will describe recent research on mental health care for women Veterans who have experienced MST and implications for tailoring mental health services to women in the male-dominated VA environment.

Methods: VHA national clinical and administrative databases were used to identify MST screen results, Veteran demographic characteristics, and mental health diagnoses and service utilization.

Results: MST is among the most common issues affecting women Veterans using VA mental health services, affecting over one third of these women, and over half of women in PTSD treatment programs. Among OEF/OIF/OND Veterans, where MST experiences are more recent, 58% of women Veterans who report MST receive MST-related mental health care in the year following screening, accounting for almost half of their mental health services. The majority of MST-related mental health care to women is delivered by female providers.

Conclusions: MST is a significant issue in provision of VHA mental health services to women Veterans, and trauma-informed care must extend beyond PTSD treatment. Future directions of our research focus on preferences for mental health care among women Veterans, and any unique preferences associated with MST. Provider gender, preferences for gender-specific settings, and gender-related specialty care are key factors in patient-centered mental health care for women Veterans in VHA.