TY - JOUR
AU - M. Marini
AU - S. Gutkind
AU - O. Livne
AU - D. S. Fink
AU - A. J. Saxon
AU - T. L. Simpson
AU - S. E. Sherman
AU - Z. L. Mannes
A1 - 
AB - BACKGROUND: In the United States (U.S.), the prevalence of anxiety and depression is increasing, yet significant barriers to mental health treatment remain. U.S. military veterans are disproportionately affected by anxiety and depression. Many veterans receive medical care within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), an integrated healthcare system that has enacted clinical initiatives to reduce barriers to mental health treatment. OBJECTIVE: We examined associations between VHA healthcare use and receipt of mental health counseling or prescription medication for anxiety or depression. DESIGN: Cross-sectional nationally representative study. PARTICIPANTS: U.S. veterans aged ≥ 18 years with past 12-month healthcare use and anxiety or depression (N = 1,161). MAIN MEASURES: In the 2019 National Health Interview Survey, veterans were assessed for their use of the VHA (vs. non-VHA healthcare use) and receipt of past 12-month mental health counseling, prescription medication for anxiety, or prescription medication for depression. KEY RESULTS: Among all veterans with anxiety or depression, only 23% received mental health counseling, while 26% and 23% received prescription medication for anxiety or depression, respectively. Compared to non-VHA veterans, VHA patients were more likely to receive counseling (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 6.28, 95% CI: 5.33, 7.40), and prescription medication for anxiety (aOR = 2.03, 95% CI: 1.72, 2.40), or depression (aOR = 2.54, 95% CI: 2.17, 2.97). CONCLUSIONS: Among veterans with anxiety or depression, VHA patients were more likely to receive mental health treatment than non-VHA veterans. Findings suggest that veteran use of counseling and psychiatric interventions remains limited, though the integrated healthcare system of the VHA may facilitate access to mental health treatment and provides a framework for non-VHA medical centers to expand access to and improve delivery of mental health services.
AD - Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA.; New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA.; Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.; Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.; Center of Excellence in Substance Addiction Treatment & Education (CESATE), VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, WA, USA.; Department of Population Health, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.; Department of Medicine, VA New York Harbor Healthcare System, New York, NY, USA.; Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA. zlm2106@cumc.columbia.edu.; Department of Emergency Medicine, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA. zlm2106@cumc.columbia.edu.
AN - 39753811
BT - J Gen Intern Med
C5 - Healthcare Disparities
CP - 11
DA - Aug
DO - 10.1007/s11606-024-09320-6
DP - NLM
ET - 20250103
IS - 11
JF - J Gen Intern Med
LA - eng
N2 - BACKGROUND: In the United States (U.S.), the prevalence of anxiety and depression is increasing, yet significant barriers to mental health treatment remain. U.S. military veterans are disproportionately affected by anxiety and depression. Many veterans receive medical care within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), an integrated healthcare system that has enacted clinical initiatives to reduce barriers to mental health treatment. OBJECTIVE: We examined associations between VHA healthcare use and receipt of mental health counseling or prescription medication for anxiety or depression. DESIGN: Cross-sectional nationally representative study. PARTICIPANTS: U.S. veterans aged ≥ 18 years with past 12-month healthcare use and anxiety or depression (N = 1,161). MAIN MEASURES: In the 2019 National Health Interview Survey, veterans were assessed for their use of the VHA (vs. non-VHA healthcare use) and receipt of past 12-month mental health counseling, prescription medication for anxiety, or prescription medication for depression. KEY RESULTS: Among all veterans with anxiety or depression, only 23% received mental health counseling, while 26% and 23% received prescription medication for anxiety or depression, respectively. Compared to non-VHA veterans, VHA patients were more likely to receive counseling (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 6.28, 95% CI: 5.33, 7.40), and prescription medication for anxiety (aOR = 2.03, 95% CI: 1.72, 2.40), or depression (aOR = 2.54, 95% CI: 2.17, 2.97). CONCLUSIONS: Among veterans with anxiety or depression, VHA patients were more likely to receive mental health treatment than non-VHA veterans. Findings suggest that veteran use of counseling and psychiatric interventions remains limited, though the integrated healthcare system of the VHA may facilitate access to mental health treatment and provides a framework for non-VHA medical centers to expand access to and improve delivery of mental health services.
PY - 2025
SN - 0884-8734 (Print); 0884-8734
SP - 2723
EP - 2731+
ST - Mental Health Treatment among U.S. Military Veterans: Insights from the National Health Interview Survey
T1 - Mental Health Treatment among U.S. Military Veterans: Insights from the National Health Interview Survey
T2 - J Gen Intern Med
TI - Mental Health Treatment among U.S. Military Veterans: Insights from the National Health Interview Survey
U1 - Healthcare Disparities
U3 - 10.1007/s11606-024-09320-6
VL - 40
VO - 0884-8734 (Print); 0884-8734
Y1 - 2025
ER -