Mental health symptoms among American veterans during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Psychiatry Res. 2021 Dec:306:114292. doi: 10.1016/j.psychres.2021.114292. Epub 2021 Nov 17.

Abstract

We examined the symptom trajectories of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and anxiety among 1,230 American veterans assessed online one month prior to the COVID-19 outbreak in the United States (February 2020) through the next year (August 2020, November 2020, February 2021). Veterans slightly increased mental health symptoms over time and those with pre-pandemic alcohol and cannabis use disorders reported greater symptoms compared to those without. Women and racial/ethnic minority veterans reported greater symptoms pre-pandemic but less steep increases over time compared to men and white veterans. Findings point to the continued need for mental health care efforts with veterans.

Keywords: Mental health; Substance use; Veterans.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • COVID-19*
  • Ethnic and Racial Minorities
  • Ethnicity
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mental Health
  • Minority Groups
  • Pandemics
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic* / epidemiology
  • United States / epidemiology
  • Veterans*