Mental Health Treatment Delay: A Comparison Among Civilians and Veterans of Different Service Eras

What is it about?

Concerns have been raised regarding delay to mental health treatment among recent military veterans. The current study compares delay to treatment for common mental health disorders (post-traumatic stress disorder [PTSD], major depression, and alcohol use disorder) among post-9/11 veterans, pre-9/11 veterans, and civilians. We used the 2012-2013 National Epidemiological Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions III (NESARC-III). We found that post-9/11 veterans had shorter treatment delays for PTSD and depression than pre-9/11 veterans and civilians. Groups did not differ in their delay to treatment for alcohol use disorder. In an exploratory analysis, post-9/11 veterans with past year military health care coverage (e.g., through the Veterans Health Administration) showed the shortest delay for depression treatment, although past year coverage did not predict treatment delay for PTSD or alcohol use disorder. Shorter delay to treatment for PTSD and depression among post-9/11 may reflects efforts to engage recent veterans in mental health care.

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