Student Veterans Reintegrating from the Military to the University with Traumatic Injuries: How Does Service Use Relate to Health Status?

Publication date: Available online 31 October 2017
Source:Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Author(s): Christine A. Elnitsky, Cara Blevins, Jan Warren Findlow, Tabitha Alverio, Dennis Wiese
ObjectiveTo examine the effects of campus services on the health of veterans with traumatic injuries and comorbidities as they return from military service and enter college.DesignCross-sectional internet survey using a mixed-methods analysis approach.SettingA four-year urban research university in the southeastern United States.ParticipantsWe conducted a survey of 127 veterans returning from active military duty.InterventionsNone.Main Outcome MeasuresSurveys included standardized measures of health status, traumatic injuries and functional impairment (PCL-C, VHA TBI screen, Veterans RAND-12), as well as use of campus services and perceived effectiveness of these services in supporting reintegration to the university, and recommendations for additional services.ResultsQuantitative and qualitative data revealed that student veterans experience high rates of chronic pain that interfere with their daily functioning (92.7%), symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (77.9%), traumatic brain injury (TBI) (26.0%), and comorbidities as the Polytrauma Clinical Triad (PCT) (14.2%). Despite the high prevalence of pain, PTSD, and TBI, few students used disability services (5.2%), counseling services (18.8%) or student health services (36.5 %). Students experienced challenges accessing needed health services when reintegrating from the military to the university, including mutable university service factors.ConclusionsFindings indicate the need for campus services to address the particular needs of student veterans and the need for determining what particular services should be offered to help this population cope with injuries and succeed in college.



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