Emotional dysregulation moderates the relation between perceived stress and emotional eating in adolescent military dependents.

OBJECTIVE: Adolescent children of US service members (i.e., military-dependent youth) face unique stressors that increase risk for various forms of disinhibited eating, including emotional eating. Difficulties with adaptively responding to stress and aversive emotions may play an important role in emotional eating. This study examined emotion dysregulation as a potential moderator of the association between perceived stress and emotional eating in adolescent military dependents. METHOD: Participants were military-dependent youth (N = 163, 57.7% female, Mage = 14.5 ± 1.6, MBMI-z = 1.9 ± 0.4) at risk for adult binge-eating disorder and high weight enrolled in a randomized controlled prevention trial. Prior to intervention, participants completed questionnaires assessing perceived stress and emotional eating. Parents completed a questionnaire assessing their adolescent's emotion dysregulation. Moderation analyses were conducted using the PROCESS macro in SPSS and adjusted for theoretically relevant sociodemographic covariates. RESULTS: The interaction between adolescent perceived stress and emotion dysregulation (parent-reported about the adolescent) in relation to adolescent emotional eating was found to be significant, such that higher emotion dysregulation magnified the association between perceived stress and emotional eating (p = .010). Examination of simple slopes indicated that associations between perceived stress and emotional eating were strongest for youth with above-average emotion dysregulation, and non-significant for youth with average or below-average emotion dysregulation. DISCUSSION: Findings suggest that greater emotion dysregulation may increase risk for emotional eating in response to stress among military-dependent youth at risk for binge-eating disorder or high weight. Improving emotion regulation skills may be a useful target for eating disorder prevention among youth who are at risk for emotional eating. PUBLIC SIGNIFICANCE: Prior research has shown that adolescent military dependents are at increased risk for eating disorders and high weight. The current study found that emotion dysregulation moderated the relationship between perceived stress and emotional eating among military-dependent youth. There may be clinical utility in intervening on emotion regulation for adolescent dependents at particular risk for emotional eating and subsequent eating disorders.

The Relationship Between Anxiety, Coping, and Disordered-Eating Attitudes in Adolescent Military-Dependents at High-Risk for Excess Weight Gain.

Adolescent military-dependents are an understudied population who face unique stressors due to their parents' careers. Research suggests that adolescent military-dependents report more anxiety and disordered-eating than their civilian counterparts. While anxiety symptoms predict the onset and worsening of disordered-eating attitudes, the mechanisms underlying this relationship remain unclear. One factor that may underlie this relationship, and be particularly relevant for military-dependent youth, is coping. Therefore, we examined adolescent military-dependents (N=136; 14.5±1.5 years; 59.6% female; BMI-z: 1.9±0.4) who were at-risk for adult obesity and binge-eating disorder due to an age- and sex-adjusted BMI ≥ 85th percentile and loss-of-control eating and/or elevated anxiety. Participants completed an interview assessing disordered-eating attitudes and questionnaires on anxiety symptoms and coping strategies at a single time point. Bootstrapping models were conducted to examine the indirect paths between anxiety symptoms and disordered-eating attitudes through five coping subscales (aggression, distraction, endurance, self-distraction, and stress-recognition). Adjusting for relevant covariates, no significant indirect paths through the coping subscales (ps > .05) were found in any models. General coping, non-specific to eating, may not be a pathway between anxiety symptoms and disordered-eating attitudes among adolescents. Future research should examine other potential mediators of this relationship.

Examination of the Interaction between Parental Military-Status and Race among Non-Hispanic Black and Non-Hispanic White Adolescents with Overweight/Obesity.

OBJECTIVES: Adolescent military-dependents experience distinct risk and protective factors, which may necessitate additional clinical considerations. In civilian youth, overweight/obesity is associated with eating, internalizing, and externalizing difficulties, with some studies reporting more difficulties among non-Hispanic White (vs. non-Hispanic Black) youth. It is unknown if these disparities exist among adolescent military-dependents, or between civilian and military-dependent youth. METHODS: Non-Hispanic Black (187 civilian, 38 military-dependent) and non-Hispanic White (205 civilian, 84 military-dependent) adolescents with overweight/obesity (14.7 ± 1.6 years; 73.9% girls; body mass index adjusted for age and sex 1.9 ± 0.5) completed a disordered-eating interview; parents completed a measure assessing their child's internalizing and externalizing difficulties. Multiple linear regressions examined parental military-status as a moderator of the relationship of participant race with eating, internalizing, and externalizing difficulties. RESULTS: White civilian youth with overweight/obesity reported significantly greater disordered-eating than their Black peers (p < .001); there were no other significant racial differences. In all regressions, parental military-status significantly moderated the association between race and each dependent variable (ps < .047). Black military-dependents (vs. civilians) reported more disordered-eating and internalizing difficulties (ps = .01). White military-dependents (vs. civilians) reported fewer externalizing difficulties (p = .01). CONCLUSIONS: Black adolescent military-dependents with overweight/obesity may experience more eating and internalizing difficulties (vs. civilians), a pattern not observed among White participants. Future work should examine if being a military-dependent and a historically marginalized racial group member accounts for these findings. Such data may inform providers of youth with intersecting minority identities.

The Role of the Family Physician in Rural Maternity Care.

Of the 28 million rural women of reproductive age in the United States, ∼7 million of them live in areas of limited access to maternity care. While only 6.7% of Family Physicians currently provide maternity care, they are the only delivering physicians in 27% of rural hospitals. Of the 1.6% of Family Physicians performing cesarean deliveries as a primary surgeon, 57.3% do so in a rural county and 38.6% do so in a county without an obstetrician. Cultivation of the next generation of Family Physicians providing maternity care is essential to prevent further spread of existing maternity care deserts.

Fever of Unknown Origin in Adults.

Fever of unknown origin is defined as a clinically documented temperature of 101°F or higher on several occasions, coupled with an unrevealing diagnostic workup. The differential diagnosis is broad but is typically categorized as infection, malignancy, noninfectious inflammatory disease, or miscellaneous. Most cases in adults occur because of uncommon presentations of common diseases, and up to 75% of cases will resolve spontaneously without reaching a definitive diagnosis. In the absence of localizing signs and symptoms, the workup should begin with a comprehensive history and physical examination to help narrow potential etiologies. Initial testing should include an evaluation for infectious etiologies, malignancies, inflammatory diseases, and miscellaneous causes such as venous thromboembolism and thyroiditis. If erythrocyte sedimentation rate or C-reactive protein levels are elevated and a diagnosis has not been made after initial evaluation, 18F fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography scan, with computed tomography, may be useful in reaching a diagnosis. If noninvasive diagnostic tests are unrevealing, then the invasive test of choice is a tissue biopsy because of the relatively high diagnostic yield. Depending on clinical indications, this may include liver, lymph node, temporal artery, skin, skin-muscle, or bone marrow biopsy. Empiric antimicrobial therapy has not been shown to be effective in the treatment of fever of unknown origin and therefore should be avoided except in patients who are neutropenic, immunocompromised, or critically ill.

Associations among alexithymia, disordered eating, and depressive symptoms in treatment-seeking adolescent military dependents at risk for adult binge-eating disorder and obesity.

PURPOSE: Evidence suggests that difficulties identifying and describing one's feelings, core components of alexithymia, are associated with attitudinal and behavioral symptoms of disordered eating; depressive symptoms also may underlie these associations. Specifically, research indicates that alexithymia is positively related to depressive symptoms, which in turn may promote both disordered-eating attitudes and certain disinhibited-eating behaviors (e.g., emotional eating). Findings also suggest that military-dependent youth with high weight may exhibit elevated depressive symptoms and disordered eating. As such, understanding associations among alexithymia, depressive symptoms, and disordered eating is particularly relevant for this vulnerable population. METHODS: We examined 149 adolescent military dependents (14.4 ± 1.6y; 55.0% female; 20.0% non-Hispanic Black; BMIz: 1.9 ± 0.4) at high risk for binge-eating disorder and obesity in adulthood. Participants completed questionnaires assessing two components of alexithymia (difficulty identifying feelings [DIF] and difficulty describing feelings [DDF]), depressive symptoms, emotional eating, and trait anxiety; disordered-eating attitudes were assessed via semi-structured interview. RESULTS: A series of regression-based models examined indirect relationships of DIF and DDF with disordered-eating attitudes and emotional eating through depressive symptoms. Bootstrapped 95% confidence intervals revealed a significant indirect path from each of the alexithymia components to disordered-eating attitudes via depressive symptoms; indirect paths to emotional eating were non-significant. CONCLUSION: Results support the salience of depressive symptoms in the relationship between alexithymia and disordered-eating attitudes. Future research should utilize prospective designs and explore direct and indirect associations of alexithymia with other disordered-eating behaviors. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III, evidence obtained from a well-designed cohort study.

Human Papillomavirus: Screening, Testing, and Prevention.

With more than 200 types identified, human papillomavirus (HPV) commonly causes infections of the skin and mucosa. HPV infection is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States. Although most HPV infections are transient and subclinical, some lead to clinical manifestations ranging from benign papillomas or warts to intraepithelial lesions. In some patients, persistent infection with high-risk mucosal types, especially HPV-16 and HPV-18, causes anal, cervical, oropharyngeal, penile, vaginal, and vulvar cancers. Most HPV-related cancers are believed to be caused by sexual spread of the virus. A history of multiple sex partners; initiation of sexual activity at an early age; not using barrier protection; other sexually transmitted infections, including HIV; an immunocompromised state; alcohol use; and smoking have been identified as risk factors for persistent HPV infections. Screening for HPV infection is effective in identifying precancerous lesions and allows for interventions that can prevent the development of cancer. Use of condoms and dental dams may decrease spread of the virus. Vaccination is the primary method of prevention. The nonavalent HPV vaccine is effective in preventing the development of high-grade precancerous cervical lesions in noninfected patients. Vaccination is ideally administered at 11 or 12 years of age, irrespective of the patient's sex. In general, a two-dose series is recommended if administered before 15 years of age; however, individuals who are immunocompromised require three doses.

Out-of-Hospital Birth.

Since the 1970s, most births in the United States have been planned to occur in a hospital. However, a small percentage of Americans choose to give birth outside of a hospital. The number of out-of-hospital births has increased, with one in every 61 U.S. births (1.64%) occurring out of the hospital in 2018. Out-of-hospital (or community) birth can be planned or unplanned. Of those that are planned, most occur at home and are assisted by midwives. Patients who choose a planned community birth do so for multiple reasons. International observational studies that demonstrate comparable outcomes between planned out-of-hospital and planned hospital birth may not be generalizable to the United States. Most U.S. studies have found statistically significant increases in perinatal mortality and neonatal morbidity for home birth compared with hospital birth. Conversely, planned community birth is associated with decreased odds of obstetric interventions, including cesarean delivery. Perinatal outcomes for community birth may be improved with appropriate selection of low-risk, vertex, singleton, term pregnancies in patients who have not had a previous cesarean delivery. A qualified, licensed maternal and newborn health professional who is integrated into a maternity health care system should attend all planned community births. Family physicians are uniquely poised to provide counseling to patients and their families about the risks and benefits associated with community birth, and they may be the first physicians to evaluate and treat newborns delivered outside of a hospital.

Care of the College Student.

Approximately 19 million students attend college in the United States. Although they are generally healthy, about 20% of youth have special health care needs, including asthma, diabetes mellitus, and learning, mental health, and substance use disorders. Physicians can facilitate the transition of a youth to an adult model of health care by using structured processes to orient the youth to self-care before entry into college. Stimulant medications are effective for treatment of students with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, but physicians should monitor for signs of drug diversion. Learning disorders may manifest with emotional or physical symptoms and are managed in a multidisciplinary fashion. Depression, anxiety, sleep problems, and posttraumatic stress and eating disorders are common in this population and can affect school performance. Screening and/or interventions for obesity, depression, anxiety, violence, nicotine use, and substance use are effective. Immunizations for influenza, human papillomavirus, meningococcus, and pertussis are crucial in this high-risk population. Lesbian, bisexual, gay, transgender, and queer students have unique health care needs.

Parental deployment and distress, and adolescent disordered eating in prevention-seeking military dependents.

OBJECTIVE: Parental military deployment can lead to stress in the family system due to concerns about the deployed service-member's safety and increased responsibilities for those not deployed. Parent-related stress can impact adolescent disordered eating. Given the important role that stress plays in disordered eating and obesity, it is crucial to understand the impacts of unique stressors to which vulnerable populations are exposed. METHOD: We studied 126 adolescent (14.3 ± 1.6 years; 59.5% girls; 44.4% non-Hispanic White; BMI-z, 1.91 ± .39) military dependents prior to entering an obesity and binge-eating disorder prevention trial. The Eating Disorder Examination was used to assess adolescent disordered eating. Parents self-reported their own distress and family deployment history that occurred during the adolescent's lifetime. RESULTS: Parental distress interacted with frequency of parental deployments such that for those with high parental distress, more frequent deployment was associated with greater adolescent shape and weight concerns (ß = .21, p = .012) and global eating pathology (ß = .18, p = .024). DISCUSSION: In this hypothesis-generating study, the combination of number of deployments and parental distress may be associated with disordered eating among adolescent military dependents seeking prevention of binge-eating disorder and adult obesity. If these preliminary findings are supported longitudinally, interventions to reduce parental stress related to deployment may be warranted to reduce disordered eating in adolescent dependents.

Examination of the Interpersonal Model With Adolescent Military Dependents at High Risk for Adult Obesity.

OBJECTIVE: Adolescent military dependents may be at higher risk for psychosocial stressors and disordered eating compared with civilian youths, but the mechanisms underlying these risks are unclear. Interpersonal theory proposes that difficult relationships lead to negative affect, thereby promoting emotional eating, which has been linked to and predictive of disordered eating. The interpersonal model may have particular relevance for understanding disordered eating among adolescent military dependents, given the unique stressors related to their parents' careers. This study aimed to examine the premise of the interpersonal model (that negative emotions mediate the association between multiple aspects of social functioning and emotional eating) among a cohort of adolescent military dependents. METHODS: Military dependents (N=136; 56% female, mean±SD age=14±2 years, body mass index adjusted for age and sex [BMIz]=2.0±0.4) at risk for adult obesity and binge eating disorder, as indicated by reported loss-of-control eating and/or anxiety symptoms, were assessed prior to participation in a study of excess weight-gain prevention. Bootstrapped mediation analyses were conducted to examine depressive symptoms as a potential mediator of the relationship between social functioning and emotional eating. Analyses were adjusted for age, sex, race-ethnicity, BMIz, and presence of reported loss-of-control eating and anxiety. RESULTS: Depressive symptoms were a significant mediator of the relationship between multiple domains of social functioning, including loneliness, social adjustment related to family and friends, attachment to father and peers, and emotional eating (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The interpersonal model may contribute to our understanding of excess weight gain and binge eating disorder among adolescent military dependents. Prospective data are needed to determine the utility of interpersonal theory in predicting treatment response and outcomes among this population.

Training the Doctors: A Scoping Review of Interprofessional Education in Primary Care Behavioral Health (PCBH).

Primary care behavioral health (PCBH) is a model of integrated healthcare service delivery that has been well established in the field of psychology and continues to grow. PCBH has been associated with positive patient satisfaction and health outcomes, reduced healthcare expenditures, and improved population health. However, much of the education and training on PCBH has focused on developing behavioral health providers to practice in this medical setting. Less attention has been paid to physician team members to support and practice within an integrated environment. This is problematic as underdeveloped physician team members may contribute to low utilization and attrition of behavioral health consultants. A scoping review was conducted to examine the training of physicians in this domain since 2006. Twenty-one studies were identified, predominantly in Family Medicine training programs. Although PCBH training was generally well received, more program evaluation, formalized curriculum, and faculty development are needed to establish best practices.

Childhood adverse life events, disordered eating, and body mass index in US Military service members.

OBJECTIVE: US service members appear to be at high-risk for disordered eating. Further, the military is experiencing unprecedented prevalence of overweight and obesity. US service members also report a high prevalence of childhood adverse life event (ALE) exposure. Despite consistent links between early adversity with eating disorders and obesity, there is a dearth of research examining the association between ALE exposure and disordered eating and weight in military personnel. METHOD: An online survey study was conducted in active duty personnel to examine childhood ALE history using the Life Stressor Checklist - Revised, disordered eating using the Eating Disorder Examination - Questionnaire total score, and self-reported body mass index (BMI, kg/m2 ). RESULTS: Among 179 respondents, multiple indices of childhood ALE were positively associated with disordered eating. Traumatic childhood ALE and subjective impact of childhood ALE were associated with higher BMI and these associations were mediated by disordered eating. DISCUSSION: Findings support evaluating childhood ALE exposure among service members with disordered eating and weight concerns. Moreover, findings support the need for prospective research to elucidate these relationships.

Cesarean delivery: counseling issues and complication management.

Nearly one-third of all deliveries in the United States are cesarean deliveries. Compared with spontaneous vaginal delivery, cesarean delivery is associated with increased maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality. Interventions that decrease the chance of a cesarean delivery include avoiding non-medically indicated induction of labor, avoiding amniotomy, and having a doula present. In North America, the most common reasons for cesarean delivery include elective repeat cesarean delivery, dystocia or failure to progress, malpresentation, and fetal heart rate tracings that suggest fetal distress. Post-cesarean delivery complications include pain, endomyometritis, wound separation/infection, urinary tract infection, gastrointestinal problems, deep venous thrombosis, and septic thrombophlebitis. Women with no risk factors for deep venous thrombosis other than the postpartum state and the operative delivery do not require thromboembolism prophylaxis other than early ambulation. A pregnant woman's decision to attempt a trial of labor after cesarean delivery or have a planned repeat cesarean delivery involves a balancing of maternal and neonatal risks, as well as personal preference after counseling by her physician. Approximately 75% of attempted trials of labor after cesarean delivery are successful. Provision of advanced maternity care practices by family physicians, including serving as primary surgeons for cesarean deliveries, is consistent with the goals of the patient-centered medical home.

Acute pancreatitis.

Acute pancreatitis is most commonly caused by gallstones or chronic alcohol use, and accounts for more than 200,000 hospital admissions annually. Using the Atlanta criteria, acute pancreatitis is diagnosed when a patient presents with two of three findings, including abdominal pain suggestive of pancreatitis, serum amylase and/or lipase levels at least three times the normal level, and characteristic findings on imaging. It is important to distinguish mild from severe disease because severe pancreatitis has a mortality rate of up to 30%. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography is considered the diagnostic standard for radiologic evaluation of acute pancreatitis because of its success in predicting disease severity and prognosis. The BALI and computed tomography severity index scores also can aid in determining disease severity and predicting the likelihood of complications. Treatment begins with pain control, hydration, and bowel rest. In the first 48 to 72 hours of treatment, monitoring is required to prevent morbidity and mortality associated with worsening pancreatitis. When prolonged bowel rest is indicated, enteral nutrition is associated with lower rates of complications, including death, multiorgan failure, local complications, and systemic infections, than parenteral nutrition. In severe cases involving greater than 30% necrosis, antibiotic prophylaxis with imipenem/cilastatin decreases the risk of pancreatic infection. In gallstone-associated pancreatitis, early cholecystectomy and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography with sphincterotomy can decrease length of hospital stay and complication rates. A multidisciplinary approach to care is essential in cases involving pancreatic necrosis.

Trauma in pregnancy: assessment, management, and prevention.

Trauma complicates one in 12 pregnancies, and is the leading nonobstetric cause of death among pregnant women. The most common traumatic injuries are motor vehicle crashes, assaults, falls, and intimate partner violence. Nine out of 10 traumatic injuries during pregnancy are classified as minor, yet 60% to 70% of fetal losses after trauma are a result of minor injuries. In minor trauma, four to 24 hours of tocodynamometric monitoring is recommended. Ultrasonography has low sensitivity, but high specificity, for placental abruption. The Kleihauer-Betke test should be performed after major trauma to determine the degree of fetomaternal hemorrhage, regardless of Rh status. To improve the effectiveness of cardiopulmonary resuscitation, clinicians should perform left lateral uterine displacement by tilting the whole maternal body 25 to 30 degrees. Unique aspects of advanced cardiac life support include early intubation, removal of all uterine and fetal monitors, and performance of perimortem cesarean delivery. Proper seat belt use reduces the risk of maternal and fetal injuries in motor vehicle crashes. The lap belt should be placed as low as possible under the protuberant portion of the abdomen and the shoulder belt positioned off to the side of the uterus, between the breasts and over the midportion of the clavicle. All women of childbearing age should be routinely screened for intimate partner violence.

Enhancing Mission Wellness: Iterative Optimization and Stakeholder Engagement to Promote Sexual and Reproductive Health in the United States Military.

INTRODUCTION: Sexual and reproductive health is critical for the readiness of the warfighter, as costs of sexually transmitted infections and unintended pregnancy result in added health care costs, lost mission time, and impact on morale. The Multiphase Optimization Strategy (MOST) is an engineering-inspired framework used to optimize biobehavioral interventions. The Military Active-Duty Reproductive and Sexual Health (MARSH) research team applied the MOST framework to develop "Mission Wellness"-an electronic health intervention to promote sexual and reproductive health within the U.S. Military. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From 2017 to 2022, the MARSH team implemented the first and second phases of MOST to develop and optimize "Mission Wellness." All phases received institutional review board approval. The first phase consisted of expert and literature review, qualitative interviews, and beta testing to identify intervention components and the optimization objective and to inform study design. The second phase consisted of a factorial trial. RESULTS: Figures 1-4 outline the research program approach, demographics of the sample, and format of the app. Service members who used the application found it to be acceptable and, overall, reported that it would be easier to talk to a sexual partner about risk behaviors and history at the post-intervention assessment compared to baseline. This iterative optimization approach using both local and strategic engagement enhanced program development and set the stage for dissemination and implementation efforts. CONCLUSIONS: In line with the iterative nature of MOST, the lessons learned during the optimization trial led the MARSH team to return "Mission Wellness" to the preparation phase. The utilization of mixed (i.e., qualitative and quantitative) research methods and engagement with stakeholders at multiple levels of the military enterprise provided the information necessary to further optimize "Mission Wellness." This programmatic approach also provides a blueprint for the development of research design and testing in military health care balancing rigor and agility.

Care of the college student.

There are approximately 20 million students in U.S. colleges and universities. Although this population is characterized as having good health, 600,000 students report some form of disability or some type of medical problem, including attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, learning disabilities, psychiatric disorders, and chronic illnesses, among others. Physicians can enhance youth transition to an adult model of health care; the use of self-care skills checklists is one recommended method to assist with the transition. Stimulant medications are effective for treating adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, but physicians should use caution when prescribing stimulants to college students because of the high rates of medication diversion in this population. Depression, anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder, sleep problems, and eating disorders are common in college students and can significantly impact performance. Emphasis on immunization of students for influenza, meningococcus, and pertussis is necessary because of the low rates of compliance. Screening and interventions for obesity, tobacco use, and substance abuse are important because of the high prevalence of these problems in college students. Screening for alcohol abuse facilitates identification of students with problem drinking behaviors. Students who are war veterans should be monitored for suicidal ideation and posttraumatic stress disorder. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning students are at risk of harassment and discrimination. Caution should be exercised when prescribing medications to college athletes to avoid violation of National Collegiate Athletic Association eligibility rules.

Prescriptions of Psychotropic Medications by Providers Treating Children of Military Service Members.

INTRODUCTION: There are approximately 1.5 million U.S. military-dependent children. However, little is known about mental health referrals for these youths. This study sought to examine the type of mental health treatment referrals made by primary care providers for child military-dependent beneficiaries receiving care in the direct (within Military Treatment Facilities) and private care (civilian-fee-for service facilities) sectors of the Military Health System. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A between-subjects, cross-sectional study was performed on children aged 5-18 years old in fiscal years 2011-2015 and enrolled in TRICARE Prime. Study analyses examined specialty ("talk therapy") mental health care and psychotropic medication referrals from TRICARE Prime (the Defense Health Agency-managed health care program) providers for beneficiary children diagnosed with attention-, mood-, anxiety-, or behavior-related disorders in direct versus private sector care. RESULTS: Of 1,533,630 children enrolled in TRICARE Prime (50.03% female), 8.6% (n = 131,393) were diagnosed with a psychological disorder during FY 2011-2015. Most were attention-related (5.2%, n = 79,770), followed by mood (1.7%, n = 25,314), anxiety (1.1%, n = 16,155), and conduct-related diagnoses (0.7%, n = 10,154). Adjusting for age, sex, and sponsor rank, children within direct care diagnosed with attention-related disorders were 1.7 times more likely to receive a prescription for psychotropic medication than those in private sector care, odds ratio (OR) = 1.72, 95% confidence interval (CI): [1.66, 1.77]. Children diagnosed with mood-related disorders in direct care were 2.1 times more likely to receive a prescription for psychotropic medication than those in private sector care, OR = 2.08, 95% CI: [1.96, 2.21]. Across disorders, children who received private sector care were more likely to have a referral specialty mental health ("talk therapy") follow-up (ps < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: For attention- and mood-related disorders, but not anxiety- or conduct-related disorders, direct care providers were more likely than private sector care providers to prescribe psychotropic medications. Inconsistencies of provider referrals within and outside of the Military Health System should be elucidated to determine the impact on outcomes.