Behavioral Health Treatment Receipt Among a Community Sample of Young Adult Veterans.

YOUNG adults -- Substance use; BEHAVIOR disorders; POST-traumatic stress disorder; MENTAL depression; MENTAL health of veterans; PSYCHOTHERAPY; PSYCHIATRIC diagnosis; MENTAL illness treatment; PSYCHIATRIC epidemiology; BEHAVIOR therapy; COMPARATIVE studies; INTERNET; VETERANS; RESEARCH methodology; MEDICAL cooperation; MENTAL health services; RESEARCH; RESEARCH funding; SELF-evaluation; UNITED States. Dept. of Veterans Affairs; PSYCHOLOGY of veterans; EVALUATION research

Young adult veterans are at risk for behavioral health problems such as depression, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and substance misuse. Despite this, studies of veterans within the Veterans Affairs Healthcare System (VA) indicate that about half of those warranting treatment receive it in any form, with few receiving an adequate dose of care. For this study, the behavioral health screening status and behavioral health usage (including care outside of VA settings) among a community sample of 812 young adult veterans recruited from the Internet is described. Although approximately 70% of the sample screened positive for behavioral health problems, only one fifth to three fifths of those screening positive reported any mental health or substance use treatment in the past year, with one third or less receiving a dose of minimally adequate psychotherapy or psychotropic care. Findings expand on prior work and suggest that more effort is necessary to engage young veterans in behavioral health services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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