Postdeployment health care for returning OEF/OIF military personnel and their social networks: a qualitative approach |
| |
Authors: | Finley Erin P Zeber John E Pugh Mary Jo V Cantu Gabriela Copeland Laurel A Parchman Michael L Noel Polly H |
| |
Institution: | Department of Veterans Affairs, South Texas Veterans Health Care System, VERDICT, Health Services Research and Development, 7400 Merton Minter Boulevard, San Antonio, TX 78229-4404, USA. |
| |
Abstract: | Little is known regarding the health care needs of Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF) deployed veterans seeking care outside of Veterans Affairs facilities. Responding to this gap, we conducted a mixed methods study of postdeployment health among veterans and members of their social networks in six community-based primary care clinics. A total of 347 patients completed a survey dealing with deployment to Iraq/Afghanistan (whether their own or that of a family member, friend, or coworker), and subsequent psychosocial and health problems. A subset of 52 participants responded to an open-ended question requesting additional information about experiences during and postdeployment. Content analysis of these responses revealed five overarching themes: connectedness, perceptions of conflict, consequences of deployment, health and treatment concerns, and respect and concern for service members/veterans. These data point to significant deployment-related disruptions in the well-being of service members and those in their broader social networks, with implications for defining service needs in community health settings. |
| |
Keywords: | |
本文献已被 PubMed 等数据库收录! |
|