Journal article
Military Sexual Trauma Survivors' Perceptions of Veterans Health Administration Care: A Qualitative Examination
PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES, v 17(2)
May 2020
PMID: 30265071
Featured in Collection : UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
Abstract
Although the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) provides free health care related to military sexual trauma (MST), many veterans forgo or delay such care, underscoring the need for research aimed at understanding MST survivors' perceptions and concerns regarding VHA care. This study employed a qualitative phenomenological approach to describe MST survivors': (a) perceptions of VHA care, (b) concerns about VHA care, and (c) suggestions for how VHA can facilitate recovery from MST. Fifty veterans (32 women, 18 men) with histories of MST participated in semistructured interviews. Transcripts were analyzed using thematic analysis. The pattern of themes was examined by gender and MST type. The majority of participants described neutral or positive perceptions of VHA care; however, a subset of participants described negative perceptions and reservations about using VHA care. Participants expressed concerns regarding distrust, provider compassion, privacy, stigma, shame, and continuity of care. Some women, particularly those who experienced military sexual assault, also described genderrelated distress (e.g., feeling anxious or out of place, desire for separate facilities). Both men and women described wanting nonspecific support, improved continuity of care, and the ability to choose from a variety of treatment options (e.g., holistic, gender-specific). Further research is needed to examine if these findings are replicated in other samples.
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Details
- Title
- Military Sexual Trauma Survivors' Perceptions of Veterans Health Administration Care: A Qualitative Examination
- Publication Details
- PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES, v 17(2)
- Publisher
- EDUCATIONAL PUBLISHING FOUNDATION-AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOC; WASHINGTON
- Number of pages
- 0
- Grant note
- This material is based upon work supported in part by the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center. We would like to express our appreciation to the men and women who volunteered to participate in this study. In addition, we would like to acknowledge Kelly A. Soberay for her contributions interviewing participants for this study, as well as Trisha A. Hostetter for assistance with VA Corporate Data Warehouse data. The views expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views or policy of the Department of Veterans Affairs or the United States Government.
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Drexel University
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:000529341800007
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-85054029511
- Other Identifier
- 991021860779504721
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- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- Web of Science research areas
- Psychology, Clinical