Development of a Patient Centered Mental Health Intervention for Recent Veterans

Project Background: The term "recent Veterans" refers to Veterans who served in the military operations Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Operation New Dawn. Almost 60% of recent Veterans who received VA care have been diagnosed with a mental health disorder, most commonly posttraumatic stress disorder (32%), depressive disorders (26%), anxiety disorders (25%), and substance abuse (13%). The research literature consistently confirms that recent Veterans with stress-related mental health disorders experience impairment in functional domains of health (overcoming and managing disease), purpose (meaningful daily activities and participation in society), and community (positive relationships and social networks). Project Objectives: The proposed research will characterize patient centered care in VA mental health care and produce a brief patient centered intervention that will empower Veterans to lead and personalize their mental health care in support of their functional recovery. In Aim 1 of this research the investigators will characterize rates of providers' and recent Veterans' (n=30) participation in the four components of PCC, as well as barriers and facilitators of each PCC component, to inform development of a brief patient centered mental health intervention in Aim 2. In Aim 2 the investigators will develop a brief patient centered mental health intervention for recent Veterans experiencing stress-related mental health disorders and conduct a pre-pilot demonstration (n=10) to assess acceptability. This intervention will be informed by data collected in Aim 1 and developed using an iterative process of discussion with and input from recent Veterans, VA mental health providers, peer specialists, and researchers. Finally in Aim 3 the investigators will test the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of the brief intervention by conducting a randomized controlled trial with 48 recent Veterans with stress-related mental health disorders. Project Methods: In Aim 1 data will be collected at one time point using surveys and a recording of a Veteran provider encounter which will be coded to quantify Veteran and provider patient centered care behaviors. Intervention development in Aim 2 will be led by a multi-stakeholder Advisory Panel and further developed using Veteran focus groups. Acceptability will be demonstrated via qualitative interviews following a pre-pilot demonstration project with 10 Veteran participants. In Aim 3 data will be collected at baseline, post-RCT participation, and 3 month and 6 month follow-up. Feasibility will be assessed with study administration data on engagement and participation in the intervention and preliminary efficacy will be evaluated via quantitative analysis of functioning from self-report surveys. Note: Measure of Patient Centered Care (Patient-centered Communication) was removed as a measure. The MPCC requires recording a patient-provider encounter and coding it. When the pandemic occurred previous methods of recording encounters and physically bringing an approved recording device to the provider's office prior to the session, was no longer viable. Investigators had to suspend recording until approved technology guidance was provided. When a means was identified it was so cumbersome no providers agreed to record.