Mental health treatment after major surgery among Vietnam-era Veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder.

Tsan JY, Stock EM, Greenawalt DS, Zeber JE, Copeland LA. Mental health treatment after major surgery among Vietnam-era Veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder. Journal of Health Psychology. 2016 Jul 1; 21(7):1249-60.

Related HSR&D Project(s)

• IIR 09-335 – Surgical Treatment Outcomes for Patients with Psychiatric Disorders (STOPP)

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Abstract:

The purpose of this study was to examine mental health treatment use among Vietnam Veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder and determine whether undergoing major surgery interrupted mental health treatment or increased the risk of psychiatric hospitalization. Using retrospective data from Veterans Health Administration's electronic medical record system, a total of 3320 Vietnam-era surgery patients with preoperative posttraumatic stress disorder were identified and matched 1:4 with non-surgical patients with posttraumatic stress disorder. The receipt of surgery was associated with a decline in overall mental health treatment and posttraumatic stress disorder-specific treatment 1?month following surgery but not during any subsequent month thereafter. Additionally, surgery was not associated with psychiatric admission.