1. Subjective cognitive and psychiatric well-being in U.S. Military Veterans screened for deployment-related traumatic brain injury: A Million Veteran Program Study
- Author
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Fink, Shayna J, Davey, Delaney K, Sakamoto, McKenna S, Chanfreau-Coffinier, Catherine, Clark, Alexandra L, Delano-Wood, Lisa, Merritt, Victoria C, and Program, the VA Million Veteran
- Subjects
Clinical and Health Psychology ,Psychology ,Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) ,Neurosciences ,Behavioral and Social Science ,Traumatic Head and Spine Injury ,Physical Injury - Accidents and Adverse Effects ,Clinical Research ,Health Services ,Brain Disorders ,Mental Health ,Evaluation of treatments and therapeutic interventions ,6.6 Psychological and behavioural ,Mental health ,Good Health and Well Being ,Afghan Campaign 2001- ,Brain Injuries ,Traumatic ,Cognition ,Humans ,Iraq War ,2003-2011 ,Military Personnel ,Veterans ,Veterans Health Administration ,MVP ,TBI screen ,CTBIE ,Subjective distress ,VA Million Veteran Program ,Medical and Health Sciences ,Psychology and Cognitive Sciences ,Psychiatry ,Clinical sciences ,Clinical and health psychology - Abstract
The purpose of this study was to examine subjective cognitive and psychiatric functioning in post-deployed military Veterans who underwent the Veterans Health Administration's Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Screening and Evaluation Program and enrolled in the VA's Million Veteran Program (MVP). Veterans (N = 7483) were classified into three groups based on outcomes from the TBI Screening and Evaluation Program: (1) negative TBI screen ('Screen-'), (2) positive TBI screen but no TBI diagnosis ('Screen+/TBI-'), or (3) positive TBI screen and TBI diagnosis ('Screen+/TBI+'). Chi-square analyses revealed significant group differences across all self-reported cognitive and psychiatric health conditions (e.g., memory loss, depression), and ANCOVAs similarly showed a significant association between group and subjective symptom reporting. Specifically, the relationship between TBI group and clinical outcome (i.e., health conditions and symptoms) was such that the Screen+/TBI+ group fared the worst, followed by the Screen+/TBI- group, and finally the Screen- group. However, evaluation of effect sizes suggested that Veterans in the two Screen+ groups (Screen+/TBI+ and Screen+/TBI-) are faring similarly to one another on subjective cognitive and psychiatric functioning, but that both Screen+ groups are faring significantly worse than the Screen- group. Our results have meaningful clinical implications and suggest that Veterans who screen positive for TBI, regardless of ultimate TBI diagnosis, be eligible for similar clinical services so that both groups can benefit from valuable treatments and therapeutics. Finally, this research sets the stage for follow-up work to be conducted within MVP that will address the neurobiological underpinnings of cognitive and psychiatric distress in this population.
- Published
- 2022