Search

The high incidence of untreated mental health concerns among veterans can harm other areas of life, including employment. Loss of employment can lead to other adverse outcomes, such as financial instability, functional decline, and increased risk for suicide. Current Veterans Health Administration (VHA) vocational services are limited in that they primarily serve veterans who are unemployed and already enrolled in VHA. There is a need to prevent job loss among veterans who are struggling with mental health and vocational concerns and are not accessing VHA services, thus decreasing the risk of suicide and more costly interventions. Consistent with the existing national VHA initiatives on increasing access to health care and preventing suicide, a novel work-based intervention, Supported Employment: Engage and Keep (SEEK), was created. Building on the supported employment framework, SEEK assertively outreaches to already employed veterans by collaborating with workplaces that employ veterans. SEEK providers build rapport with employers and veterans and become a trusted VHA resource. SEEK engages veterans, facilitates enrollment in needed health care, and provides needed job maintenance support. This article outlines the SEEK model and provides a case demonstration and analysis of the course of SEEK care provided to a veteran at risk of losing their job. Clinical recommendations for implementing SEEK and future directions for evaluating this model are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Caregiver involvement may facilitate patient participation in occupational therapy (OT) video telehealth. However, little is known about the extent to which caregivers participate and what they do. This scoping review aims to, 1) describe the caregiver role supporting patient participation in OT video telehealth, and, 2) identify barriers and facilitators to caregiver involvement. Findings reveal caregiver involvement in a range of OT evaluation and intervention processes, with details on what caregivers did overall lacking. Barriers and facilitators are also described. This study underscores the need for clear and robust descriptions of caregiver participation to increase best practices in video telehealth., Competing Interests: Declarations (e.g. funding or conflicts of interest): The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose. This paper is the result of work supported in part by resources and the use of facilities at the United States Veterans Health Administration, including the New England Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center. The contents do not represent the views of VA or the United States Government.

Background: Chronic pain and problematic substance use are commonly co-occurring and highly detrimental issues that are especially prevalent in U.S. veteran populations. Although COVID-19 made clinical management of these conditions potentially difficult, some research suggests that certain veterans with these conditions did not experience this period as negatively as others. It is thus important to consider whether resilience factors, such as the increasingly-studied process of psychological flexibility, might have led to better outcomes for veterans managing pain and problematic substance use during this time of global crisis., Methods: This planned sub-analysis of a larger cross-sectional, anonymous, and nationally-distributed survey ( N  = 409) was collected during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Veteran participants completed a short screener and battery of online surveys assessing pain severity and interference, substance use, psychological flexibility, mental health functioning, and pandemic-related quality of life., Results: For veterans with chronic pain and problematic substance use, the pandemic resulted in a significant lowering of their quality of life related to meeting basic needs, emotional health, and physical health compared to veterans with problematic substance use but no chronic pain diagnosis. However, moderation analyses revealed that veterans with these comorbid conditions experienced less negative impacts from the pandemic on quality of life and mental health when they reported greater psychological flexibility. For veterans with problematic substance use only, psychological flexibility was also related to better mental health functioning, but did not significantly correlate with their quality of life., Conclusion: Results highlight how COVID-19 differentially impacted veterans with both problematic substance use and chronic pain, such that this group reported particularly negative impacts of the pandemic on multiple areas of quality of life. However, our findings further emphasize that psychological flexibility, a modifiable resiliency process, also buffered against some of the negative impacts of the pandemic on mental health and quality of life. Given this, future research into the impact of natural crises and healthcare management should investigate how psychological flexibility can be targeted to help increase resiliency for veterans with chronic pain and problematic substance use., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Reilly, Wolkowicz, Heapy, Ross MacLean, Duarte, Chamberlin, Harris, Shirk and Kelly.)

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic generated concerns about rising stress and alcohol use, especially in U.S. veterans who experience high rates of anxiety disorders (ADs), alcohol use disorder (AUD), and dual AD+AUD diagnoses. This study investigated differences among these diagnostic groups in a veteran population related to their concern about COVID-19, impacts of COVID-19 on quality of life, and self-reported changes to urge to drink and drinking frequency., Methods: A nationally administered online survey was given to a sample of U.S. veterans reporting substance use issues during the pandemic. Differences in the level of concern about COVID-19, impacts of COVID-19 on quality of life, and drinking behaviors were examined in those self-reporting AD ( n = 98), AUD ( n = 46), or AD+AUD ( n = 67). Consensual qualitative research was used to analyze an open-ended question about COVID-19's impact on substance use, health, and quality of life., Results: Veterans with AD+AUD experienced significant increases in urge to drink and alcohol consumption compared to veterans with AD only. Greater urge and frequency of drinking were associated with greater negative impacts of COVID-19 on quality of life. There were no differences among groups in global negative impact on quality of life or level of COVID-19 concern. However, respondents described specific COVID-19 worries, with qualitative findings revealing that those with AD+AUD reported a disproportionate psychosocial burden due to the pandemic., Discussion: Special attention in screening and treatment should be given to those with a dual AD+AUD diagnosis who may be experiencing both an increase in alcohol use and psychosocial burden as stress increases due to the pandemic., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Duarte, Kelly, Shirk, Chamberlin and Reilly.)

Sleep disturbances, including chronic insomnia and sleep apnea, are major concerns for US veterans, with rising rates and detrimental effects on physical, mental, and social well-being. Sleep disturbances in veterans are also underdiagnosed and undertreated for reasons that include limited sleep clinician availability, long wait times, and the time commitment for treatment. Greater use of sleep health information technologies could improve access to assessment and treatment of sleep disturbances. However, the assessment of acceptance of these technologies among veterans is still ongoing. This mixed-method study combines data from two separate but similar randomized controlled trials to assess acceptance of sleep health information technologies for veterans with chronic insomnia. Sleep health information technologies included in these trials were the following: (1) a WatchPAT sleep monitor for home-based sleep assessment, including detection of sleep apnea, and (2) the VA mobile app Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-i Coach), which supports self-management of insomnia. The combined sample of 37 veterans receiving care within one New England VA medical center completed a six-week trial using both health information technology tools. Participants completed a survey and interview at the end of the 6 weeks. Overall, participants found the tools acceptable, easy to use, and useful and reported they would use them in the future. Thus, these sleep health information technologies appear to provide an acceptable remote option for assessing and managing sleep issues for veterans. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02392000; http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02392000 and ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03305354; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03305354., Competing Interests: Competing InterestsThe authors declare no competing interests., (© This is a U.S. Government work and not under copyright protection in the US; foreign copyright protection may apply 2022.)

Increasing social connection and access to care has been found to decrease the rate of suicide in U.S. veterans. The Veteran Outreach Into the Community to Expand Social Support (VOICES) is an intervention developed by Department Veteran Affairs (VA) staff to improve social connection and provide information about services by implementing community-based Veterans Socials. Seventy veterans at eight locations completed an anonymous cross-sectional survey. This evaluation examined three domains, acceptability (i.e., perceived value), demand (i.e., estimated or actual use), and expansion (i.e., sustainability and increase of Veterans Socials across time and locations). Findings indicated considerable levels of acceptability, demand for, and expansion of this intervention. Additionally, data suggested this intervention may increase social connection and utilization of VA services among attendees., (© 2022. This is a U.S. government work and not under copyright protection in the U.S.; foreign copyright protection may apply.)

As the COVID-19 pandemic sweeps the globe, many veterans with substance use issues have faced the closure of treatment facilities, mandates to shelter in place, and social distancing measures. To better understand their pandemic experiences, substance use changes, and functioning, a survey was nationally administered to a sample of United States veterans reporting substance use issues during the pandemic. The purpose of this cross-sectional online survey for veterans ( N  = 409) was to report on COVID-19 experiences, safety behaviors, and infection experiences while also investigating the relationship among addictive behaviors, mental and physical health, and COVID-19 impact. Measures also assessed specific substance use concerns, pandemic-related loneliness, and functioning. Though few veterans reported personally receiving a confirmed COVID-19 medical diagnosis (10.5%), the impact of pandemic stressors was evident, with a majority reporting anxiety related to contracting COVID-19 (61.4%) or fear of a family member or close friend contracting COVID-19 (58.7%). Participants reported increased use of alcohol (45.3%), sedatives (36.6%), inhalants (35.7%), tobacco (35.0%), and cannabis (34.9%), attributed specifically to the pandemic. Regression analyses revealed that even when controlling for the contribution of problematic substance use issues, negative pandemic impacts and self-reported COVID-19 related loneliness were related to more impaired physical and mental health functioning during the pandemic. Findings from this sample of veterans with addiction issues add to the growing literature suggesting unique and adverse effects of COVID-19 stressors on functioning while also revealing specific pandemic impacts for this group., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Reilly, Chamberlin, Duarte, Harris, Shirk and Kelly.)

While service and operational records of the US armed forces have been previously investigated, personal communication records of military personnel have received less attention in archival scholarship. Specifically, we are concerned with the ways that changes in technology challenge the preservation of personal communications records. This issue is important because personal communication records of service members, both active and retired, can support military personnel and their families in managing the stress of deployment. Moreover, such records can help military families cope with grief when a service member dies. In this study, we address this gap by exploring the communication practices of US military personnel who served between 2005 and 2020. We focus on how military personnel communicated with their friends and family, the records that resulted from such communications, and the impacts of information technologies and institutional policies of the armed forces in said recordkeeping practices. We found that these practices evolved in tandem with the information and communication technologies available to them, that military personnel employed a relational approach to records and recordkeeping, and that recordkeeping practices of personal communications were directly connected to factors such as the information policies of the armed forces and the blurred lines between the on and off duty lives of active service members. Based on our findings, we suggest that future work should develop guidelines that help service members and their families prioritize which personal communications to record and keep. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this research is to investigate Veterans Treatment Courts' (VTCs) operation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since March of 2020, there have been efforts to transition to a virtual world to guarantee criminal defendants their rights in court during this public health crisis. While many courts had to adapt to the changing conditions due to COVID-19, little is known about what these changes looked like for VTCs, if they varied from court to court, and whether these changes were successful. Through a nationwide survey of VTC courtroom actors such as judges, program coordinators, and Veterans Justice Outreach Specialists, we examine how VTCs' day-to-day operations changed during the COVID-19 pandemic as well as program retention and participants' success in the treatment program during a public health emergency. We discuss VTCs' lessons learned to inform other VTCs and specialty courts about best practices for continuing operations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Moral injury, predominantly studied in military populations, has garnered increased attention in the healthcare setting, in large part due to the psychological and emotional consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. The measurement of moral injury with instrumentation adapted from military settings and validated by frontline healthcare personnel is essential to assess prevalence and guide intervention. This study aimed to validate the Moral Injury Outcome Scale (MIOS) in the population of acute care. Methods: A sample of 309 acute care nurses completed surveys regarding moral injury, depression, anxiety, burnout, professional fulfillment, spiritual wellbeing, and post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms. Confirmatory factor analysis was conducted as well as an assessment of reliability and validity. Results: The internal consistency of the 14-item MIOS was 0.89. The scale demonstrated significant convergent and discriminant validity, and the test of construct validity confirmed the two-factor structure of shame and trust violations in this clinical population. Regression analysis indicated age, race, and marital status-related differences in the experience of moral injury. Discussion: The MIOS is valid and reliable in acute care nursing populations and demonstrates sound psychometric properties. Scores among nurses diverge from those of military personnel in areas that may inform distinctions in interventions to address moral injury in these populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic is affecting mental health and substance use (MHSU) issues worldwide. The purpose of this study was to characterize the literature on changes in cannabis use during the pandemic and the factors associated with such changes. Methods: We conducted a scoping review by searching peer-reviewed databases and grey literature from January 2020 to May 2022 using the Arksey and O'Malley Framework. Two independent reviewers screened a total of 4235 documents. We extracted data from 129 documents onto a data extraction form and collated results using content analytical techniques. Results: Nearly half (48%) of the studies reported an increase/initiation of cannabis use, while 36% studies reported no change, and 16% reported a decrease/cessation of cannabis use during the pandemic. Factors associated with increased cannabis use included socio-demographic factors (e.g., younger age), health related factors (e.g., increased symptom burden), MHSU factors (e.g., anxiety, depression), pandemic-specific reactions (e.g., stress, boredom, social isolation), cannabis-related factors (e.g., dependence), and policy-related factors (e.g., legalization of medical/recreational cannabis). Conclusion: Public health emergencies like the COVID-19 pandemic have the potential to significantly impact cannabis use. The pandemic has placed urgency on improving coping mechanisms and supports that help populations adapt to major and sudden life changes. To better prepare health care systems for future pandemics, wide-reaching education on how pandemic-related change impacts cannabis use is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this research was to describe the evidence examining the approaches taken by mental health providers (MHPs) and chaplains to address symptoms related to moral injury (MI) or exposure to potentially morally injurious events (PMIEs). This research also considers the implications for a holistic approach to address symptoms related to MI that combines mental health and chaplaincy work. A scoping review of literature was conducted using Medline, PsycINFO, Embase, Central Register of Controlled Trials, Proquest, Philosphers Index, CINAHL, SocINDEX, Academic Search Complete, Web of Science and Scopus databases using search terms related to MI and chaplaincy approaches or psychological approaches to MI. The search identified 35 eligible studies: 26 quantitative studies and nine qualitative studies. Most quantitative studies (n = 33) were conducted in military samples. The studies examined interventions delivered by chaplains (n = 5), MHPs (n = 23) and combined approaches (n = 7). Most studies used symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and/or depression as primary outcomes. Various approaches to addressing MI have been reported in the literature, including MHP, chaplaincy and combined approaches, however, there is currently limited evidence to support the effectiveness of any approach. There is a need for high quality empirical studies assessing the effectiveness of interventions designed to address MI-related symptoms. Outcome measures should include the breadth of psychosocial and spiritual impacts of MI if we are to establish the benefits of MHP and chaplaincy approaches and the potential incremental value of combining both approaches into a holistic model of care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interaction between cannabis use or addiction and SARS-COV-2 infection rates and COVID-19 outcomes is obscure. As of 08/01/2022 among 57 evaluated epidemiological/clinical studies found in Pubmed-database, most evidence for how cannabis use patterns were influenced by the pandemic was given by two systematic reviews and 17 prospective studies, mostly involving adolescents. In this age group, cannabis use patterns have not changed markedly. For adults, several cross-sectional studies reported mixed results with cannabis use having increased, decreased or remained unchanged. Two cross-sectional studies demonstrated that the severity of adults´ cannabis dependence was either increased as a consequence of increasing cannabis use during the pandemic or not changed. Regarding the effect of cannabis use on COVID-19 outcomes, we found only five retrospective/cross-sectional studies. Accordingly, (i) cannabis use did not impact mild COVID-19 symptoms; (ii) cannabis using individuals experienced more COVID-19-related hospitalizations; (iii) cannabis using veterans were associated with reduced SARS-COV-2 infection rates; (iv) frequent cannabis use was significantly associated with COVID-19 mortality, and (v) cannabis dependents were at higher risk of COVID-19 breakthrough after vaccination. It should be outlined that the validity of these retrospective/cross-sectional studies (all self-reports or register/e-health-records) is rather low. Future prospective studies on the effects of cannabis use on SARS-COV-2 infection rates and COVID-19 outcomes are clearly required for conclusive risk-benefit assessments of the role of cannabis on users' health during the pandemic. Moreover, substance dependence (including cannabis) is associated with (often untreated) somatic comorbidity, which severity is a proven key risk factor for worse COVID-19 outcomes., (© 2022. The Author(s).)