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Recent and Frequent Mental Distress Among Women with a History of Military Service, 2003–2019

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Abstract

Examining women veterans’ self-reported mental health is critical to understanding their unique mental and physical health needs. This study describes self-reported mental distress over a 17-year period among cross-sectional nationally representative samples of women in the USA using data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) core national surveys from 2003 to 2019. Nationally representative prevalence estimates of self-reported mental distress were compared between women veterans and their (1) men veteran and (2) women civilian counterparts. In each year examined, women veterans report significantly more days of recent mental distress and significantly higher prevalence of frequent mental distress than their men veteran counterparts. In several years, women veterans also report greater levels of recent and frequent mental distress than women civilians. These findings highlight the long-standing high prevalence of self-reported poor mental health among women veterans and suggest that specific efforts to address mental health among women veterans as a unique population may be warranted.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Health Equity Research and Promotion, VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System, University Drive (151C), Building #30, Pittsburgh, PA, 15240, USA

    Deirdre A. Quinn PhD, MSc, Mlitt, Brittany F. Hollis PhD & John R. Blosnich PhD, MPH

  2. Department of Psychology, St. Lawrence University, Canton, NY, USA

    Brittany F. Hollis PhD

  3. Center for Health Equity Research and Promotion, Corporal Michael J. Crescenz VA Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    Melissa E. Dichter PhD

  4. Temple University School of Social Work, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    Melissa E. Dichter PhD

  5. Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA

    John R. Blosnich PhD, MPH

  6. University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

    Deirdre A. Quinn PhD, MSc, Mlitt

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  1. Deirdre A. Quinn PhD, MSc, Mlitt
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  2. Brittany F. Hollis PhD
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  3. Melissa E. Dichter PhD
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Correspondence to Deirdre A. Quinn PhD, MSc, Mlitt.

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The authors report no competing financial interests. Dr. Quinn is supported by a Department of Veterans Affairs Health Services Research & Development Career Development Award (CDA 20–224).

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Quinn, D.A., Hollis, B.F., Dichter, M.E. et al. Recent and Frequent Mental Distress Among Women with a History of Military Service, 2003–2019. J Behav Health Serv Res 50, 119–127 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11414-022-09825-0

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