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Veteran Status, Sociodemographic Characteristics, and Healthcare Factors Associated with Visiting a Mental Health Professional

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Abstract

Using data from a nationally representative study of the community-dwelling U.S. population, we estimated the percentage of male veterans who visited a mental health professional in the past year, compared it to an estimate from non-veteran males, and examined factors associated with visiting a mental health professional. We found that 10.5% of male veterans visited a mental health professional in the past year, compared to only 5.6% of male non-veterans. In the regression models, veteran status, sociodemographic factors, and healthcare utilization were independently associated with visiting a mental health professional. These findings demonstrate the importance of using nationally representative data to assess the mental healthcare needs of veterans.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys, National Center for Health Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 3311 Toledo Road, Room 3264, Hyattsville, MD, 20782, USA

    Steven M. Frenk

  2. Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences, University of the Sciences, 600 South 43rd Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA

    Jessica M. Sautter

  3. Global Immunization Division, Center for Global Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road, NE, Atlanta, GA, 30329, USA

    Joseph V. Woodring

  4. Office of Analysis and Epidemiology, National Center for Health Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 3311 Toledo Road, Room 4262, Hyattsville, MD, 20782, USA

    Ellen A. Kramarow

Authors
  1. Steven M. Frenk
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  2. Jessica M. Sautter
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  3. Joseph V. Woodring
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  4. Ellen A. Kramarow
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Correspondence to Steven M. Frenk.

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Frenk, S.M., Sautter, J.M., Woodring, J.V. et al. Veteran Status, Sociodemographic Characteristics, and Healthcare Factors Associated with Visiting a Mental Health Professional. Community Ment Health J 53, 515–524 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-016-0071-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-016-0071-x

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