Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2017;5(4):393-405.
doi: 10.1080/21635781.2017.1333067. Epub 2017 May 19.

Social Support, Help-Seeking, and Mental Health Outcomes Among Veterans in Non-VA Facilities: Results from the Veterans' Health Study

Richard E Adams  1 , Thomas G Urosevich  2 , Stuart N Hoffman  2 , H Lester Kirchner  2 , Johanna C Hyacinthe  2 , Charles R Figley  3 , Joseph J Boscarino  4 , Joseph A Boscarino  2
Affiliations

Social Support, Help-Seeking, and Mental Health Outcomes Among Veterans in Non-VA Facilities: Results from the Veterans' Health Study

Richard E Adams et al. Mil Behav Health. 2017.

Abstract

Using a stress process model, the authors examined social and psychological resources to better understand mental health outcomes among veterans. For this study, we surveyed 700 U.S. veterans who were outpatients in the Geisinger Health System. Independent variables included demographic factors, stressful and traumatic events, social support measures, and psychosocial factors. Using logistic regression, the authors examined 4 types of social connections: social support, help-seeking support, social capital, and other mental health support to predict mental health outcomes, including posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, suicide ideation, alcohol misuse, mental health service use, and Veterans Affairs service use. Results suggested that help-seeking support since deployment was a risk factor for 5 adverse outcomes, whereas social support was protective for 1 outcome. We concluded that high levels of help-seeking support since deployment among veterans was associated with a higher prevalence of mental health problems. These findings were unexpected and suggest the need for additional social support-related research among veterans.

Keywords: Social connections; mental health problems; social support; treatment seeking.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Adams RE, Boscarino JA. A structural equation model of perievent panic and posttraumatic stress disorder after a community disaster. Journal of Traumatic Stress. 2011;24:61–69. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Adams RE, Boscarino JA, Galea S. Social and psychological resources and health outcomes after the World Trade Center disaster. Social Science and Medicine. 2006;62:176–188. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Adams RE, Bromet EJ, Panina N, Golovakha E, Goldgaber D, Gluzman S. Stress and well-being after the Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident. Psychological Medicine. 2002;32:143–156. - PubMed
    1. Adler AB, Castro CA. An occupational mental health model for the military. Military Behavioral Health. 2013;1:41–51.
    1. Amstadter AB, McCauley JL, Ruggiero KJ, Resnick HS, Kilpatrick DG. Service utilization and help seeking in a national sample of female rape victims. Psychiatric Services. 2008;59:1450–1457. - PMC - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources