Changes in psychiatric status and service use associated with continued compensation seeking after claim determinations for posttraumatic stress disorder.
This study examined changes in psychiatric status and use of VA mental health services after the adjudication of Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) disability claims for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in a sample of 101 veteran claimants. Hypotheses were based on the premise that the claims process may create incentives for veterans to demonstrate illness. After the PTSD claim determination, half the sample had filed or planned to file a claim for a rating increase or an appeal and thus remained compensation seeking. Contradicting the authors' hypotheses, psychiatric status did not improve and treatment drop-out rates did not increase among veterans who were no longer compensation seeking after the claim determination. Results have implications for the design and direction of future research.
Sayer
Nina A
NA
Center for Chronic Disease Outcomes Research, VA Medical Center, Minneapolis, MN 55417, USA. nina.sayer@med.va.gov
Spoont
Michele
M
Nelson
David B
DB
Clothier
Barb
B
Murdoch
Maureen
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D035881:Compensation and Redress; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007345:Insurance Claim Review / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D014729:Veterans Disability Claims / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*