ENHANCE Study: Improving access to evidence-based treatment for women veteran survivors of sexual trauma

The ENHANCE study by Combat Stress aimed to provide guidance on improving access to the best evidence-based treatment for women veterans who have experienced military sexual trauma (MST).To do this, this study:

i. identified the treatment with the best evidence for PTSD resulting from MST.
ii. interviewed UK women veterans and analysed their experiences of mental ill health
and of seeking help and support.
iii. combined these findings to inform guidance and future recommendations.

The study identified that Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) has the strongest evidence for treating PTSD resulting from MST in women veterans. This finding is in line with the broader National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance on the use of trauma-focused therapies for the treatment of PTSD.

Women veterans participating in this study reported that although they have similar experiences to veteran men regarding seeking mental health treatment and support, they have additional complexities and needs as a result of their gender and experiences during military service. Findings of this report suggest these occur at three levels:

  1. The personal level concerns women veterans’ beliefs and views on mental ill health.
  2. The group level specifically concerns feelings of belonging and identity within veteran and treatment environments.
  3. The structural level relates to how health care providers and the wider health system are seen to respond to the needs of women veterans.

This report suggests that in order to improve access and women veterans’ engagement particularly with health services, these findings should be considered across the policy, practice and research domains in a UK-specific context.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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