Long-term responses to treatment in UK veterans with military-related PTSD: an observational study.
BMJ Open
; 6(9): e011667, 2016 09 16.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-27638494
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES:
Military-related trauma can be difficult to treat. Evaluating longer term responses to treatment and identifying which individuals may need additional support could inform clinical practice. We assessed 1-year outcomes in UK veterans treated for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).DESIGN:
Within-participant design.SETTING:
The intervention was offered by Combat Stress, a mental health charity for veterans in the UK.PARTICIPANTS:
The sample included 401 veterans who completed a standardised 6-week residential treatment. Of these, 268 (67%) were successfully followed up a year after the end of treatment.METHODS:
A range of health outcomes were collected pretreatment and repeated at standard intervals post-treatment. The primary outcome was severity of PTSD symptoms, and secondary outcomes included measures of other mental health difficulties (depression, anxiety and anger), problems with alcohol, and social and occupational functioning.RESULTS:
Significant reductions in PTSD severity were observed a year after treatment (PSS-I -11.9, 95% CI -13.1 to -10.7). Reductions in the secondary outcomes were also reported. Higher levels of post-treatment functional impairment (0.24, 95% CI 0.08 to 0.41) and alcohol problems (0.18, 95% CI 0.03 to 0.32) were associated with poorer PTSD treatment response at 12â months.CONCLUSIONS:
This uncontrolled study suggests the longer term benefits of a structured programme to treat UK veterans with PTSD. Our findings point to the importance of continued support targeted for particular individuals post-treatment to improve longer term outcomes.Palavras-chave
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Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Ansiedade
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Tratamento Domiciliar
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Transtornos de Estresse Pós-Traumáticos
/
Veteranos
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Distúrbios de Guerra
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Transtornos Relacionados ao Uso de Substâncias
/
Depressão
Idioma:
En
Ano de publicação:
2016
Tipo de documento:
Article