Exploring Barriers to Mental Health Treatment in the Female Veteran Population

A Qualitative Study

Datos Bibliográficos

ID22158301
AutoresKatherine Graham (0000-0002-1003-3290, autor de correspondencia), Dominic Murphy (0000-0002-9530-2743), Laura Josephine Hendrikx (0000-0001-6760-3373)
Año2022
Volumen8
Número3
Páginas151-164
Fecha de publicación2022-10-12
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaJournal of Veterans Studies (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 2470-4768 • E-ISSN: 2470-4768
EditorialVirginia Tech Libraries (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.21061/jvs.v8i3.323
OpenAlexW4313188845
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas3
Referencias citadas62

Although female veterans are a growing population, there remains limited research on their unique experiences specifically within the United Kingdom (UK). The limited data available indicates that female veterans are at increased risk of developing mental health disorders following their discharge from the military. However, female veterans make up a small proportion of those seeking mental health treatment. This study is the first qualitative study to explore the barriers faced by UK female veterans in accessing mental health treatment. The sample of the present study took part in a larger cohort study investigating the mental health needs of female veterans. A total of 61 female veterans responded to a qualitative item on the online survey that was investigating barriers they experienced in accessing mental health treatment compared to their male peers. Responses were analysed using thematic analysis to identify key themes in the data. Five key themes were identified: access barriers, lack of understanding from professionals, gender-related discrimination, mental health stigma, and sexual orientation-related discrimination. The current findings suggested that in addition to treatment-seeking barriers experienced more generally in the military, female veterans may face unique barriers to seeking support. With little veteran research focusing solely on the needs of women, further research is needed to better understand the barriers women face in seeking support. Further attention is also required to ensure such findings are practically implemented within veteran-specific and general mental health services

Environmental health · Family medicine · Help-seeking · Mental health · Population · Psychiatry · Qualitative research · Social stigma · Thematic analysis · Child Abuse and Trauma · Clinical Psychology · Medicine · Migration, Health and Trauma · Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Research · Psychology · Gerontology