Meeting the Mental Health Needs of Rural Veterans Through Primary Care Providers

• Published in: Journal of rural mental health 2016-04, Vol.40 (2), p.124-135
• Main Authors: Taylor, Renee, Glasser, Michael, Hinkle, Hana, Miller, Abigail, Jannings, Aaron, Bocker, Emilee
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Female; Health Service Needs; Human; Male; Mental Health; Military Veterans; Primary Health Care; Rural Environments
• ISSN: 1935-942X; 2163-8969
• DOI: 10.1037/rmh0000050

The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine rural primary care providers' (PCPs) perspectives and practices in mental health care delivery for veterans. A total of 37 rural PCPs, (family physicians/nurse practitioners) responded to surveys or in-depth interviews collecting data on mental health assessment and management, focusing on depression and suicide. Response rate was 62%. When asked if they approach the topic of mental health status of veterans differently from other patients, 70% responded "no." Barriers to effectively addressing rural veterans' mental health included: perceived stigma of mental issues (69.6%), finances (65.2%), lack of support groups (47.8%), and lack of support system (30.4%). A large percentage of PCPs responded they were unsure of the number of veterans they had interacted with in their practice (56.5%). Results suggest that barriers to the mental health care needs of veterans exist in rural primary care settings. However, PCPs remain the front-line response for rural veterans' mental health. More data are needed on the role and practices of PCPs in rural veteran mental health care. Effective strategies to address barriers may include developing standardized processes to identify veterans and exploration of models like the patient-centered medical home to provide integrated, comprehensive care to rural veterans.