Background

Little is known regarding alcohol use and its correlates in women veterans. An understanding of these variables is of utility to providers in primary care at Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals, who are among the first to identify and intervene for problem drinking.

Objective

The objective of this study was to describe and explore the associations between posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms, experience of military sexual trauma (MST), expectancies for alcohol use, and coping skills in predicting drinking behavior.

Design

Each month all women veterans attending appointments in primary care were mailed a letter alerting them to the study. Women then received a call asking them to participate, and many were directly recruited at their primary care appointment. Participants then completed a survey of current alcohol use and related variables in a private room.

Participants

Participants were 93 women veterans seeking care at VA.

Main measures

Measures included the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test, a modified version of the VA MST screen, the Davidson Trauma Scale; the Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations, and the Brief Comprehensive Effects of Alcohol Questionnaire.

Key results

Positive expectancies and evaluations emerged as significant correlates of AUDIT scores, while PTSD symptoms were not related to AUDIT scores. A hierarchical regression revealed a significant positive interaction between avoidance coping and positive evaluations. Depression, positive evaluations and avoidance coping were significant independent predictors of AUDIT scores in the final model, but MST was not.

Conclusions

Findings highlight the importance of considering of the function of alcohol use when delivering clinical interventions and the need for further research on the association between MST and drinking in women veterans.

Hundreds of thousands of children have had at least 1 parent deploy as part of military operations in Iraq (Operation Iraqi Freedom; OIF; Operation New Dawn; OND) and Afghanistan (Operation Enduring Freedom; OEF). However, there is little knowledge of the impact of deployment on the relationship of parents and their children. This systematic review examines findings from 3 areas of relevant research: the impact of deployment separation on parenting, and children's emotional, behavioral, and health outcomes; the impact of parental mental health symptoms during and after reintegration; and current treatment approaches in veteran and military families. Several trends emerged. First, across all age groups, deployment of a parent may be related to increased emotional and behavioral difficulties for children, including higher rates of health-care visits for psychological problems during deployment. Second, symptoms of PTSD and depression may be related to increased symptomatology in children and problems with parenting during and well after reintegration. Third, although several treatments have been developed to address the needs of military families, most are untested or in the early stages of implementation and evaluation. This body of research suggests several promising avenues for future research.

Combat exposure and military sexual trauma (MST) are prevalent among returning women veterans and are associated with increased alcohol use and psychological distress. However, it remains unclear the extent to which combat exposure and MST are associated with utilization of health care in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). The current study explored the relationships among alcohol use and distress in women who deployed in support of Operations Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom, and New Dawn. It was hypothesized that increased posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression symptomatology and trauma exposure would be related to greater VHA utilization, whereas alcohol misuse would predict lower VHA use. Participants (N = 133) completed an Internet-based survey of deployment experiences, substance use, mental health, and utilization of VHA services. In this sample, 33% endorsed MST exposure, 64% endorsed combat exposure, and 78% indicated exposure to the aftermath of battle. Multiple regression models found combat exposure-but not MST or aftermath-to be significantly associated with alcohol use and symptoms of PTSD and depression. Only 37% of participants reported use of VHA services, and logistic regression models indicated that PTSD symptomatology was the only unique predictor of VHA use. Findings suggest potential barriers for women who endured sexually based trauma in a military setting in seeking treatment at the VHA.