scholarly journals Dementia, post-traumatic stress disorder and major depressive disorder: a review of the mental health risk factors for dementia in the military veteran population

2018 ◽  
Vol 48 (9) ◽  
pp. 1400-1409 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. A. Rafferty ◽  
P. E. Cawkill ◽  
S. A. M. Stevelink ◽  
K. Greenberg ◽  
N. Greenberg
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder ◽  
Traumatic Stress ◽  
Stress Disorder ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Major Depressive ◽  
Mental Health Difficulties ◽  
Post Traumatic ◽  
Military Veteran ◽  
The Military

AbstractBackgroundDementia is currently incurable, irreversible and a major cause of disability for the world's older population. The association between mental health difficulties, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and major depressive disorder (MDD), and dementia has a long history within the civilian population. Despite the increased importance of this link within the military veteran population, who suffer a greater propensity of mental health difficulties and consist largely of over 65s, attention is only recently being paid to the salience of such an association for this group. This paper aims to explore the relationship between PTSD and MDD with dementia within the military veteran population.MethodA systematic review was conducted on articles from 1990 to July 2016 on MEDLINE, EMBASE, EBSCO and Web of Science electronic databases with an update conducted in February 2017.ResultsSix empirical studies were identified from the review, the majority of which originated from the USA. Five of the studies asserted that veterans with a diagnosis of either PTSD or MDD are at a significantly greater risk of developing dementia than ‘healthy’ controls. The final study, conducted in Australia, found only a small, but non-significant, correlation between earlier MDD and future dementia, but no concurrent correlation.ConclusionsWhile causality cannot be determined, it is likely that PTSD and depressive disorders are related to an increased risk of dementia in military veterans. Potential pathological explanations and risk factors are reviewed and the clinical and neuroscience implications of these findings are explored.

scholarly journals Exploring the impact of COVID-19 and restrictions to daily living as a result of social distancing within veterans with pre-existing mental health difficulties

2020 ◽  
pp. bmjmilitary-2020-001622 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dominic Murphy ◽  
C Williamson ◽  
J Baumann ◽  
W Busuttil ◽  
N T Fear
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Support ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder ◽  
Traumatic Stress ◽  
Stress Disorder ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Mental Health Difficulties ◽  
Post Traumatic ◽  
The Impact

IntroductionData are emerging showing the adverse consequences on mental health of the general public due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Little is known about the needs of veterans with pre-existing mental health difficulties during the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsData were collected through a cross-sectional online survey from a randomly selected sample (n=1092) of military veterans who have sought help for mental health difficulties from a veteran-specific UK-based charity. The response rate was 25.2% (n=275). Participants were asked to complete a range of standardised mental health outcomes (post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD): Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist, common mental health difficulties (CMDs): 12-Item General Health Questionnaire, difficulties with anger: 5-Item Dimensions of Anger Reactions—Revised and alcohol misuse: Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test) and endorse a list of potential stressors related to changes to daily life resulting from COVID-19. Regression analyses were fitted to explore predictors of mental health severity.ResultsIt was observed that symptoms of common mental disorder and PTSD (69.3% and 65.0%, respectively) were the most commonly reported to have been exacerbated by the pandemic. Lack of social support and reporting increasing numbers of stressors related to COVID-19 were consistently associated with increasing severity of a range of mental health difficulties.ConclusionsOur findings suggest veterans who had pre-existing mental health difficulties prior to the outbreak of COVID-19 may be at increased risk of experiencing CMDs as a result of the pandemic. Intervening to improve levels of social support and offering practical guidance to better manage any additional stressors relating to the pandemic may provide strategies to help reduce the burden of mental health symptoms.

Post-traumatic Stress Disorder and the Military

2018 ◽  
pp. 155-176
Author(s):  
Calyn Crow
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder ◽  
Traumatic Stress ◽  
Stress Disorder ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Military Culture ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Post Traumatic ◽  
Solution Focused ◽  
The Military

This chapter will describe how SFBT has been used in the military. Many people in the military have experienced some type of trauma throughout their lifetime. However, the military culture itself has not historically embraced or taught the importance of mental health or emotional well-being and are taught not to cry. This chapter discusses how using SFBT is effective in a culture where clients are not always allowed to show emotion. Solution-focused questions allow clients to quickly explore what is important to them, what it is they want or need currently, and how they are going to move forward. The chapter stresses the importance of not fixing what is not broken and how the solution is not necessarily related to the problem.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in the Military Veteran

1994 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 265-277 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew J. Friedman ◽  
Paula P. Schnurr ◽  
Annmarie McDonagh-Coyle
Keyword(s):  
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder ◽  
Traumatic Stress ◽  
Stress Disorder ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Post Traumatic ◽  
Military Veteran ◽  
The Military

scholarly journals Paranoia in patients attending child and adolescent mental health services

2021 ◽  
pp. 000486742098141
Author(s):  
Jessica C Bird ◽  
Emma C Fergusson ◽  
Miriam Kirkham ◽  
Christina Shearn ◽  
Ashley-Louise Teale ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder ◽  
Traumatic Stress ◽  
Stress Disorder ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Network Analyses ◽  
Self Harm ◽  
Post Traumatic ◽  
Peer Difficulties

Objective: Paranoia may be particularly prevalent during adolescence, building on the heightened social vulnerabilities at this age. Excessive mistrust may be corrosive for adolescent social relationships, especially in the context of mental health disorders. We set out to examine the prevalence, symptom associations, and persistence of paranoia in a cohort of young people attending child and adolescent mental health services. Method: A total of 301 patients (11–17 years old) completed measures of paranoia, affect, peer difficulties and behavioural problems. Clinicians also rated each participant’s psychiatric symptoms. Patterns of association were examined using linear regressions and network analyses. In total, 105 patients repeated the measures several months later. Results: Most of the adolescents had affective disorders ( n = 195), self-harm/suicidality ( n = 82), or neurodevelopmental conditions ( n = 125). Few had suspected psychosis ( n = 7). Rates of paranoia were approximately double compared with previous reports from the general population. In this patient sample, 35% had at least elevated paranoia, 15% had at least moderate paranoia, and 6% had high paranoia. Paranoia had moderate associations with clinician-rated peer difficulties, self-harm, and trauma, and small associations with clinician-rated social anxiety, depression, generalised anxiety, and educational problems. Network analyses showed paranoia had the strongest unique relationship with peer difficulties. Paths from peer difficulties to anxiety, self-harm, post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms, and behavioural problems were all via paranoia. Both self-harm and post-traumatic stress disorder were solely associated with paranoia in the network. Paranoia remained persistent for three-quarters and was associated with greater psychological problems over time. Conclusion: Paranoia is relatively common and persistent across a range of clinical presentations in youth. When paranoia occurs alongside emotional problems, important peer interactions may be adversely affected. Wider consideration of paranoia in adolescent patients is needed.

The Prevalence of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in Birth Parents in Child Protection Services: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

2021 ◽  
pp. 152483802110484
Author(s):  
Aino Suomi ◽  
Annalese Bolton ◽  
Dave Pasalich
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder ◽  
Traumatic Stress ◽  
Child Protection ◽  
Stress Disorder ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Birth Parents ◽  
Child Protection Services ◽  
Post Traumatic

Background Birth parents of children in the statutory child protection system have disproportionally high rates of trauma exposure and mental health problems, however, little is known about the extent to which this population display symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) or Complex PTSD. This study provides a systematic review and meta-analysis of the PTSD rates in parent samples involved in the child protection services. Method Articles were identified by searching PSYCINFO, Medline, CINAHL, and PILOTS. The search included terminology pertaining to parents, trauma, and child protective services and we included all peer-reviewed articles that reported a valid measure of PTSD and child protection service involvement. Results Fifteen studies were included in the review with a combined prevalence estimate for PTSD based on 11 studies ( n = 4871) was 26.0% (95% CI 20.0–32.0%) for mothers, and estimate based on three studies ( n = 2606) was 13.0% (95% CI 7.0%–18.0%) for fathers and 23.0% (95% CI 17.0–29.0) for all parents based on 7848 responses. Four studies that did not report prevalence rates, reported sample mean scores for PTSD that were consistently higher than in general population. Factors associated with parents’ PTSD symptoms included mental health co-morbidities, victimization of physical and sexual violence, and perpetration of child abuse. Conclusion There are high rates of PTSD in parents involved in the protective system, thus more targeted efforts are needed to identify and adequately address trauma symptoms of parents as part of child protection interventions.

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