This study explored rates of non-attendance (i.e., non-initiation, inconsistent attendance, early discontinuation) in cognitive processing therapy (CPT) and other posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) focused individual and group psychotherapies (i.e., interventions with at least some PTSD and/or trauma-related content) and characterized veterans' self-reported reasons for non-attendance in these treatments. Baseline and 6-month follow-up data from the Telemedicine Outreach for PTSD study, a pragmatic randomized effectiveness trial conducted in 11 Veterans Health Administration community-based outpatient clinics, was examined (N = 265 veterans). Over 90% of veterans with a scheduled psychotherapy appointment attended at least one appointment by 6-month follow-up. Self-reported treatment completion was higher for veterans attending individual CPT (25%) than for those attending PTSD-focused individual (4.4%) and group psychotherapy (15.5%). However, rates of inconsistent attendance (13.3%) and early discontinuation (18.3%) were also higher in veterans attending CPT when compared to other forms of PTSD-focused psychotherapy (inconsistent attendance-individual: 2.2%, group: 6.9%; early discontinuation-individual: 14.6%; group: 10.3%). Issues with scheduling appointments was one of the most frequently reported reasons for non-attendance across treatments (> 20%). Logistical barriers, including transportation (CPT), therapy taking too much time (PTSD-focused individual psychotherapy) and not being able to afford counseling (PTSD-focused group psychotherapy), were also commonly cited (i.e., > 15%). Those scheduled to attend CPT (26%) or PTSD-focused individual psychotherapy (11%) also cited treatment efficacy concerns as a reason for non-attendance. Findings suggest logistical barriers, particularly scheduling convenient appointments, and beliefs about treatment may be important to address when engaging veterans in psychotherapy for PTSD. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).
To understand primary care patients' and clinicians' experiences with diagnosis and treatment of patients with bipolar disorder in primary care. We conducted a qualitative study using thematic content analysis of individual interviews with nine primary care clinicians and six patients from Federally Qualified Health Centers to understand their experiences with the diagnosis and treatment of bipolar disorder. Themes of bipolar disorder detection, referral to specialty mental health care and medication treatment emerged from individual interviews with primary care patients and clinicians. Clinicians and patients faced challenges deciding to continue with care in primary care that is easier to access, but less intensive, than specialty care that can be harder to access but at times of higher quality. Potential next steps in research include identifying ways to support primary care clinicians in detection of patients with bipolar disorder, and strategies to support treatment of patients in primary care with easier access to specialty care including consultation in primary care or co-management with specialty care.
Researchers continue to find racial-ethnic disparities in treatment receipt and outcomes. In this VA study of a collaborative program to treat depression in primary care, treatment responses of veterans from minority groups were markedly higher than those of white veterans.
To address barriers to trauma-focused psychotherapy for veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), we compared two implementation strategies to promote the deployment of telemedicine collaborative care. We conducted a Hybrid Type III Effectiveness Implementation trial at six VA medical centers and their 12 affiliated Community Based Outpatient Clinics. The trial used a stepped wedge design and an adaptive implementation strategy that started with standard implementation, followed by enhanced implementation for VA medical centers that did not achieve the performance benchmark. Implementation outcomes for the 544 veterans sampled from the larger population targeted by the intervention were assessed from chart review (care management enrollment and receipt of trauma-focused psychotherapy) and telephone survey (perceived access and PTSD symptoms) after each implementation phase. The primary outcome was enrollment in care management. There was no significant difference between standard implementation and enhanced implementation on any of the implementation outcomes. 41.6% of sampled veterans had a care manager encounter, but only 6.0% engaged in trauma-focused psychotherapy. While telemedicine collaborative care was shown to be effective at engaging veterans in trauma-focused psychotherapy in a randomized controlled trial, neither standard nor enhanced implementation strategies were sufficient to support successful deployment into routine care. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02737098
Abstract Over 80% of adults in the general population experience trauma. Rates of patients with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are high in primary care settings and are likely to be even higher in federally qualified health centers (FQHCs). Trauma exposure has been linked to psychiatric symptoms and physical health comorbidities, though little research has focused on FQHC patients. This study addresses this by examining clinical and sociodemographic correlates of specific trauma types among FQHC patients. We analyzed secondary data from patients who screened positive for PTSD and were receiving health care in FQHCs in a clinical trial ( N = 978). Individuals who did versus did not experience a specific trauma type were compared using between‐group tests. In the sample, 91.3% of participants were exposed to a DSM‐5 Criterion A traumatic event, with 79.6% experiencing two or more trauma types. Witnessing a life‐threatening event (57.3%) and physical assault (55.7%) were the most common traumatic experiences. Physical health comorbidities and worse physical health functioning were associated with a higher likelihood of exposure to all trauma types, with effect sizes larger than PTSD, d s = 0.78–1.35. Depressive and anxiety symptoms were also associated with a higher likelihood of experiencing nearly all trauma types to a lesser magnitude. People of color, OR = 2.45, and individuals experiencing financial inequities, OR = 1.73, had higher odds of experiencing serious accidents as well as other trauma types. The findings highlight the need for trauma‐informed care, including routine trauma and PTSD screening, for FQHC patients.
