Anna Kline

Effects of Repeated Deployment to Iraq and Afghanistan on the Health of New Jersey Army National Guard Troops: Implications for Military Readiness

OBJECTIVES We assessed the effects of prior military service in Iraq or Afghanistan on the health of New Jersey Army National Guard members preparing for deployment to Iraq. METHODS We analyzed anonymous, self-administered predeployment surveys from 2543 National Guard members deployed to Iraq in 2008. We used bivariate and multivariate analyses to measure the effects of prior service in Afghanistan (Operation Enduring Freedom [OEF]) or Iraq (Operation Iraqi Freedom [OIF]) on mental and physical health. RESULTS Nearly 25% of respondents reported at least 1 previous OEF or OIF deployment. Previously deployed soldiers were more than 3 times as likely as soldiers with no previous deployments to screen positive for posttraumatic stress disorder (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]=3.69; 95% confidence interval [CI]=2.59, 5.24) and major depression (AOR=3.07; 95% CI=1.81, 5.19), more than twice as likely to report chronic pain (AOR=2.20; 95% CI=1.78, 2.72) and more than 90% more likely to score below the general population norm on physical functioning (AOR=1.94; 95% CI=1.51, 2.48). CONCLUSIONS Repeated OEF and OIF deployments may adversely affect the military readiness of New Jersey National Guard combat soldiers.

Suicidal ideation among national guard troops deployed to Iraq: the association with postdeployment readjustment problems

Abstract Despite well-documented postdeployment readjustment problems affecting veterans of Operations Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Iraqi Freedom (OIF), few studies have explored the possible relationship of readjustment stressors to the recent increase in military suicide. This study examined associations between suicidal ideation and postdeployment readjustment problems using cross-sectional population-based survey data from 1665 National Guard members who recently returned from Iraq. The findings suggested that readjustment problems are widespread, with 45% of veterans endorsing one or more financial or family problems 3 months postdeployment. After adjusting for mental health and combat exposure, veterans with the highest number of readjustment stressors were at 5½ times greater risk of suicidal ideation than those with no stressors. In a psychiatrically impaired subsample, the high stressor group experienced a fourfold risk of suicide ideation compared with those with no stressors. The findings argue for suicide prevention efforts that more directly target readjustment problems in returning OEF/OIF veterans.

Readjustment Stressors and Early Mental Health Treatment Seeking by Returning National Guard Soldiers With PTSD

OBJECTIVES Readjustment stressors are commonly encountered by veterans returning from combat operations and may help motivate treatment seeking for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The study examined rates of readjustment stressors (marital, family, and employment) and their relationship to early mental health treatment seeking among returning National Guard soldiers with PTSD. METHODS Participants were 157 soldiers who were surveyed approximately three months after returning from combat operations in Iraq and scored positive on the PTSD Checklist (PCL). The survey asked soldiers about their experience with nine readjustment stressors as well as their use of mental health care in the three months after returning. RESULTS Many readjustment stressors were common in this cohort, and most soldiers experienced at least one stressor (72%). Univariate analyses showed that readjustment stressors were related to higher rates of treatment seeking. These findings remained significant after multivariate analyses adjusted for depression and PTSD severity but were no longer significant after adjustment for age and marital status. CONCLUSIONS Readjustment stressors are common among soldiers returning from duty with PTSD and may be more predictive than PTSD symptom levels in treatment seeking. These effects appeared to be at least partially accounted for by demographic variables and the role of greater familial and occupational responsibilities among older veterans. Treatment seeking may be motivated by social encouragement or social interference and less by symptom severity.

A wraparound treatment engagement intervention for homeless veterans with co-occurring disorders.

This article reports the results of a low-intensity wraparound intervention, Maintaining Independence and Sobriety through Systems Integration, Outreach, and Networking (MISSION), to augment Treatment as Usual (TAU) and engage and retain homeless veterans with a co-occurring disorder (COD) in care. Using a quasi-experimental design, 333 homeless veterans were enrolled, 218 who received MISSION along with TAU and 115 who received TAU alone. Group assignment was based on MISSION treatment slot availability at time of enrollment. Compared with TAU alone, individuals receiving MISSION demonstrated greater outpatient session attendance within the 30 days before the 12-month follow up assessment and a larger decline from baseline in the number of psychiatric hospitalization nights. Individuals in the MISSION and TAU-only groups both showed statistically significant improvements in substance use and related problems at 12 months, with those in MISSION less likely to drink to intoxication and experience serious tension or anxiety. Although this study confirmed that compared with TAU alone, MISSION along with TAU is effective in augmenting usual care and engaging and retaining homeless veterans in treatment, some caution is warranted as this study did not involve random assignment. These results, however, are similar to a recent study involving a briefer version of the intervention which included random assignment. Based on these findings, MISSION is being further studied in the joint Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) - Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) program, which offers rapid housing placement and case management to aid in housing maintenance.

Detection of co-occurring mental illness among adult patients in the New Jersey substance abuse treatment system

OBJECTIVES We assessed the detection of mental illness in an adult population of substance abuse patients and the rate of referral for mental health treatment. METHODS We obtained combined administrative records from 1994 to 1997 provided by the New Jersey substance abuse and mental health systems and estimated detection and referral rates of patients with co-occurring disorders (n = 47,379). Mental illness was considered detected if a diagnosis was in the record and considered undetected if a diagnosis was not in the record but the patient was seen in both treatment systems within the same 12-month period. Predictors of detection and referral were identified. RESULTS The detection rate of co-occurring mental illness was 21.9% (n=10364); 57.9% (n=6001) of these individuals were referred for mental health treatment. Methadone maintenance clinics had the lowest detection rate but the highest referral rate. Male, Hispanic, and African American patients, as well as those who used heroin or were in the criminal justice system, had a higher risk of mental illness not being detected. Once detected, African American patients, heroin users, and patients in the criminal justice system were less likely to be referred for treatment. CONCLUSIONS There is a need to improve the detection of mental illness among substance abuse patients and to provide integrated treatment.

Multiple deployments and combat trauma: do homefront stressors increase the risk for posttraumatic stress symptoms?

Multiple deployments are common among military personnel who served in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom and are associated with greater posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS). Homefront stressors (i.e., family, occupational problems) resulting from deployments may increase the risk of PTSS. Moreover, with multiple deployments, a new deployment may occur while still experiencing homefront stressors from previous tours. This prospective study assessed whether homefront stressors from a previous tour increased the risk of PTSS after a new deployment. It also examined the effects of homefront stressors at postdeployment. Survey data were obtained from U.S. National Guard soldiers with previous deployments prior to (Wave 1) and after (Wave 2) a new deployment to Iraq (N = 196). Homefront stressors reported at Wave 1 (β = .154, p = .015) and Wave 2 (β = .214, p = .002) were both significantly predictive of PTSS at postdeployment, even after adjusting for warzone stressors, predeployment PTSS, and other variables. A pattern of chronic homefront stressors (i.e., homefront stressors at pre- and postdeployment) was associated with higher levels of PTSS at postdeployment (β = .220, p = .002). Service members with multiple deployments are at greater risk for PTSS if deployed with homefront stressors from previous tours and/or face these stressors at postdeployment.

A brief community linkage intervention for veterans with a persistent mental illness and a co-occurring substance abuse disorder

Objective: Individuals with co-occurring psychiatric and substance abuse problems often exhibit poor outpatient treatment engagement and re-hospitalization following discharge from acute psychiatric services. Although case management can improve treatment engagement and reduce attrition, these services are often delivered indefinitely, limiting the availability of treatment slots. In an effort to reduce re-hospitalization rates and improve outcomes during the transition from inpatient to outpatient treatment, we developed and evaluated Time-Limited Case Management (TLC), an eight-week integrated mental health and substance abuse augmentation intervention. Method: Sixty-five dually diagnosed veterans admitted to inpatient psychiatric treatment were included in the program evaluation, 32 who received the TLC service in addition to Treatment as Usual (TAU) that began during inpatient treatment and continued after the transition to outpatient services, and a comparison group of 33 who received only TAU without transitional support provided through the TLC augmentation service. Results: The TLC group had fewer days and episodes of hospitalization at two and six month post-study entry. Furthermore, the TLC group exhibited greater improvements on the Global Assessment of Functioning from baseline to the six-month follow-up. Conclusion: TLC appears to be an effective transitional augmentation service with benefits that persist beyond the eight weeks of the program. Future research should include a larger and more rigorously controlled trial to confirm the efficacy and unique contributions of the intervention

A longitudinal study of pain and pain catastrophizing in a cohort of National Guard troops at risk for PTSD.

Summary After controlling for extraneous factors, we found a modest association between predeployment pain (but not pain catastrophizing) and postdeployment PTSD symptoms in National Guard troops. ABSTRACT A recent cross‐sectional study of National Guard troops found that pain and pain catastrophizing were prevalent and highly correlated with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). At issue in the present study was whether pain and catastrophizing before military deployment could account for individual differences in PTSD symptoms after deployment. An anonymous survey was administered to a population sample of New Jersey National Guard troops before they were sent overseas and again when they returned home (1 year later). The survey included a validated PTSD screening questionnaire, numerical ratings of pain intensity, and a measure of pain catastrophizing. A cohort of 922 National Guard members completed the survey before and after deployment. An uncontrolled analysis indicated that pain and catastrophizing before deployment were significantly but modestly associated with PTSD symptoms after deployment (accounting for 4.5% and 1.3% of the variance, respectively). A hierarchical regression model that controlled for sex, preexisting PTSD symptoms, and recent combat found that pain but not pain catastrophizing explained variance in postdeployment PTSD. The size of the effect, however, was negligible (0.8%, p < .01). Consistent with previous research, a cross‐sectional analysis revealed that postdeployment pain and catastrophizing successfully accounted for unique variance in postdeployment PTSD. The failure of longitudinal predictors in the present study, therefore, cannot be attributed to insensitive screening instruments. These findings offer little or no support for the hypothesis that predeployment pain and catastrophizing can account for individual differences in PTSD after exposure to combat trauma.

Unemployment and Co-occurring Disorders Among Homeless Veterans

Objective: To examine employment patterns from 2005 to 2008 among homeless veterans with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders relative to national trends in veteran and non-veteran populations. Methods: Unemployment rates for homeless veterans (N = 328) with co-occurring disorders were compared to national veteran and non-veteran unemployment rates using Current Population Survey data. Results: From 2005 to 2008, unemployment among the homeless veteran sample with co-occurring disorders increased from 47% to 66%. While unemployment decreased for Current Population Survey comparison groups from 2006 to 2007, homeless veterans with co-occurring disorders experienced a 35.62% increase in unemployment. Conclusions: Homeless veterans with co-occurring disorders were disproportionately affected by the 2007 recession. This increase in unemployment, relative to comparison group data, indicates the need for more comprehensive and integrated vocational supports aimed at obtaining competitive employment upon program discharge. Future research should monitor the impact of economic fluctuations on placement and employment sustainability for homeless veterans with co-occurring disorders.

Catastrophic appraisal of acute and chronic pain in a population sample of new jersey national guard troops.

ObjectivesCatastrophic appraisal has been implicated as a possible cause of psychiatric morbidity, psychological distress, and physical impairment in individuals with chronic pain. At issue in this study was whether catastrophizing was associated with psychiatric morbidity in a population sample of National Guard members. In addition, we sought to determine whether it could account for individual differences in psychological distress and impaired physical function in the presence of acute and chronic pain. MethodsWe performed a secondary analysis of an existing survey database. The original survey was designed to assess combat readiness in a population sample of 2995 National Guard troops about to deploy overseas. The database included screening instruments for psychiatric illness as well as continuous measures of psychological distress, pain perception, pain catastrophizing, and perceived physical function. ResultsAmong Guard members reporting a problem with pain, frequent catastrophizing was associated with higher rates of depression, posttraumatic stress, alcohol dependence, and somatization-like illness. Higher rates were also associated with chronic as opposed to acute pain (except for alcohol dependence). Pain-related catastrophizing accounted for substantial variance in measures of psychological distress and physical impairment regardless of pain duration. DiscussionAlthough catastrophizing beliefs are common in clinical settings, this study suggests that the phenomenon may be prevalent in the population at large and likely to influence the outcome of acute as well as chronic pain.