Understanding Mental Health Needs and Gathering Feedback on Transcutaneous Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation as a Potential PTSD Treatment among 9/11 Responders Living with PTSD Symptoms 20 Years Later
A Qualitative Approach
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 15510425 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Rebecca M Schwartz (0000-0002-4504-4766, Northwell Health), Pooja Shaam (0009-0006-9931-9100, Northwell Health, corresponding author), Myia S Williams (0000-0002-6295-8391, Northwell Health), Molly McCann‐Pineo (0000-0001-5601-4717, Northwell Health), Laura Ryniker (Northwell Health), Shubham Debnath (0000-0002-6225-0027, Northwell Health), Theodoros P Zanos (0000-0002-9204-9551, Northwell Health) |
| Year | 2022 |
| Volume | 19 |
| Issue | 8 |
| Pages | 4847-4847 |
| Publication date | 2022-04-16 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1661-7827 • E-ISSN: 1660-4601 |
| Publisher | Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (PUBLISHER • CH) |
| DOI | 10.3390/ijerph19084847 |
| PMID | 35457714 |
| OpenAlex | W4223923604 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 7 |
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) remains one of the most prevalent diagnoses of World Trade Center (WTC) 9/11 responders. Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) is a potential treatment for PTSD, as it can downregulate activity in the brain, which is known to be related to stress responses and hyperarousal. To understand barriers and facilitators to engagement in mental health care and the feasibility and acceptability of using the taVNS device as a treatment for PTSD symptoms, a focus group was conducted among patients from the Queens WTC Health Program who had elevated symptoms of PTSD. The focus group discussion was recorded, transcribed, and analyzed. Three themes and subthemes emerged: (1) the continued prevalence of mental health difficulties and systematic challenges to accessing care; (2) positive reception toward the taVNS device as a potential treatment option, including a discussion of how to increase usability; and (3) feedback on increasing the feasibility and acceptance of the research methodology associated with testing the device in a pilot clinical trial. The findings highlight the need for additional treatment options to reduce PTSD symptoms in this population and provide key formative phase input for the pilot clinical trial of taVNS
Focus group · Mental health · Population · Posttraumatic stress · Psychiatry · Stimulation · Vagus nerve · Vagus nerve stimulation · Clinical Psychology · Heart Rate Variability and Autonomic Control · Medicine · Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors Study · Vagus Nerve Stimulation Research · Internal Medicine
The use of focus group discussion methodology
Prevalence and Axis I comorbidity of full and partial posttraumatic stress disorder in the United States
Psychotherapy for Military-Related PTSD
Treating Depression with Transcutaneous Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation
A Quality Improvement Assessment of the Delivery of Mental Health Services among WTC Responders Treated in the Community
Using thematic analysis in psychology
Everything Is Perfect, and We Have No Problems
| Highly cited | No |
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