NURS FPX 6026 Assessment 3 Population Health Policy Advocacy

Name

Capella university

NURS-FPX 6026 Biopsychosocial Concepts for Advanced Nursing Practice 2

Prof. Name

Date

Letter to the Editor

To

Eric Hollander,  

Editor of the Journal of  Psychiatric Research

Subject: Policy Proposal to Mitigate Disparities in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Interventions Among Military Veterans and Survivors of Severe Trauma

Dear editor, I am writing this letter to support a policy initiative aimed at addressing the disparities in PTSD outcomes among military veterans and survivors of severe trauma. 

Evaluation of Current State

The current state of PTSD treatment for military veterans and survivors of severe trauma reveals disparities in accessibility. Even with developments in behavioral and medical therapies, a substantial portion of veterans with PTSD are not receiving treatment. Evidence indicates that treatments such as Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET) and Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), along with medicines like paroxetine and Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs), are effective.

However, they do not address the needs of all PTSD-affected military veterans (Borisov et al., 2023). Recent data indicates that PTSD affects about 6.8% of men and 11.6% of women in the military. This resulted in an estimated 1,368,926 men and 293,257 women affected by PTSD within this demographic. The economic impact stands notably at $232.3 billion, with military-related expenditures comprising $42.8 billion (Davis et al., 2022). Current treatment outcomes do not meet national standards, resulting in health disparities among military veterans.

A significant knowledge gap persists concerning the sustained efficacy of coordinated treatment approaches for PTSD. Peer and social support groups show promise in delivering holistic care. However, there needs to be more data on the optimal duration and frequency of these therapies (Allen et al., 2021). The diversity in care approaches underscores the critical need for additional research. Additionally, concerns persist about the effectiveness of coordinated care approaches across different situations. The problem lies in tailoring these approaches to diverse populations, such as military veterans (Allen et al., 2021).

Analyzing the Current State

The current situation of PTSD management, described by shortcomings in therapy effectiveness and accessibility, highlights the need for complete policy growth. Recent therapeutic models driven by integrated care models address the needs of all PTSD-affected military veterans and trauma survivors, as shown by the many veterans who do not receive adequate treatment (Lewis et al., 2020).

The absence of tailored support for at-risk populations exacerbates inequalities in care access and treatment results. There is ambiguity in integrating group-based support with traditional therapies (Lewis et al., 2020). Evidence supports the effectiveness of group therapies in managing PTSD. However, integrating them into standard medical practices remains unclear. Uncertainties exist about individualized and group interventions, therapy timing, and treatment adjustments for the diverse challenges of veterans (Lewis et al., 2020).

There is a critical need for greater assurance regarding the flexibility of inclusive care approaches across diverse medical settings. This ambiguity underscores the necessity for policies that advocate for integrated care models in PTSD treatment, ensuring they are flexible, accessible, and grounded in practical suggestions (Jeffrey et al., 2021). Efforts should prioritize the establishment of regulations that close the divide in PTSD treatment, bolster ongoing research, and improve clarity in care methodologies. Policies should cultivate a healthcare environment where every PTSD survivor, irrespective of their cultural background, has a fair approach to inclusive therapy services.

Justification for Developed Policy

The developed policy is justified by ensuring equitable access to effective PTSD treatments, addressing disparities, and supporting ongoing research. It promotes adaptable, integrated care models for diverse populations, enhancing treatment outcomes. Recent approaches to treating PTSD highlight that present treatments alone are inadequate in addressing all facets of PTSD symptoms and the requirements of military veterans. A combination of counseling, pharmacotherapy, and community support is indispensable for providing holistic treatment and tackling the complex nature of PTSD. Additionally, this strategy seeks to meet the diverse needs of veteran communities (Shahar, 2020). PTSD experiences vary based on the intensity of traumatic incidents, cultural background, and individual history, and the execution of a uniform approach is inadequate.

Concerns about over-reliance on group-based solutions diminish the emphasis on personalized care and medication roles (Shahar, 2020). Nevertheless, this initiative does not advocate replacing individualized therapy and pharmacological treatment. Instead, it emphasizes integrating them with community support to improve treatment outcomes. The aim is to establish a balanced therapeutic approach that acknowledges the unique challenges of each veteran’s PTSD journey and promotes comprehensive care through multidisciplinary teamwork (Lewis et al., 2020).

Advocacy for Policy Implementation in Diverse Systems

The implementation of the developed policy for PTSD therapy in the healthcare setup is crucial for ensuring its benefits reach a more comprehensive number of military veterans affected by PTSD. This policy’s flexible framework, including pharmacological and social support approaches, is designed for execution across diverse care settings, from local hospitals to specialized PTSD rehabilitation facilities (Marazziti et al., 2023). The varied situations of military veterans seeking PTSD therapy underscore the critical importance of ensuring uniform care across various settings, emphasizing the need for broad adoption.

However, implementing this policy in diverse settings poses challenges in resource allocation. Integrated PTSD care requires sufficient funding and staffing, which is a challenge for under-resourced hospitals (Sinkler et al., 2022). Additionally, training and integrating multidisciplinary teams present logistical and cultural hurdles. PTSD manifests differently across trauma survivors, demanding tailored treatment strategies that include cultural competence and flexibility in approach. Despite these challenges, supporters of the policy believe it has the potential to elevate the standard of PTSD care (Sinkler et al., 2022).

Analyzing Interprofessional Aspects

The strategy’s vital interdisciplinary elements include a coordinated care framework and collaboration among healthcare staff. These components contribute to achieving the results chosen by restructuring protection approaches. For instance, nurses can supervise care protocols, physicians can provide treatment expertise, and therapists can offer assistance using CBT (Warth et al., 2020).

Peer support provides resilience-building techniques to assist veterans in addressing their psychological health challenges, fostering fair treatment for all veterans. Interdisciplinary teamwork addresses the diverse needs of military veterans. The policy ensures that interventions are cohesive and tailored to meet the specific requirements of PTSD veterans, enhancing efficiency. However, uncertainties remain regarding effective methods for multidisciplinary communication and their impact on reducing disparities in PTSD outcomes among veterans (Sinkler et al., 2022).

Conclusion

The summary underscores the urgent need for an inclusive health policy to address disparities in PTSD treatment among military veterans and trauma survivors. It advocates for integrated care models that encompass psychological therapies, medication, and peer support to enhance accessibility and efficacy.

References

Allen, L., Jones, C., Fox, A., Copello, A., Jones, N., & Stedman, R. (2021). The correlation between social support and post-traumatic stress disorder in children and adolescents: A meta-analysis. Journal of Affective Disorders, 294, 543–557. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2021.07.028

Borisov, N., Ilnytskyy, Byeon, Kovalchuk, O., & Kovalchuk, I. (2023). Application of drug efficiency index metric for analysis of post-traumatic stress disorder and treatment resistant depression gene expression profiles. Psychoactives, 2(2), 92–112. https://doi.org/10.3390/psychoactives2020007

Davis, L. L., Schein, J., Cloutier, M., Sanschagrin, P., Maitland, J., Urganus, A., Guerin, A., Lefebvre, P., & Houle, C. R. (2022). The economic burden of posttraumatic stress disorder in the United States from a societal perspective. The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 83(3). https://doi.org/10.4088/jcp.21m14116

Jeffrey, J., Klomhaus, A., Aralis, H., Barrera, W., Rosenberg, S., Grossman, M., & Lester, P. (2021). Factors associated with response and remission from depression at 6-months of treatment in a retrospective cohort treated within an integrated care program. BMC Health Services Research, 21(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-021-06729-1

Lewis, C., Roberts, N. P., Andrew, M., Starling, E., & Bisson, J. I. (2020). Psychological therapies for post-traumatic stress disorder in adults: Systematic review and meta-analysis. European Journal of Psychotraumatology, 11(1), 1729633. https://doi.org/10.1080/20008198.2020.1729633

Marazziti, Carmassi, C., Cappellato, G., Chiarantini, Massoni, L., Mucci, F., Arone, A., Violi, M., Palermo, S., De, G., & Dell’Osso, L. (2023). Novel pharmacological targets of post-traumatic stress disorders. Life, 13(8), 1731–1731. https://doi.org/10.3390/life13081731

Shahar, G. (2020). Interdisciplinarity and integration: An introduction to the special issue on psychopathology in medical settings. Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10880-020-09752-2

Sinkler, M. A., Furdock, R. J., & Vallier, H. A. (2022). Treating trauma more effectively: A review of psychosocial programming. Injury, 53(6). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.injury.2022.04.022

Warth, R., Dams, J., Grochtdreis, T., & König, H.-H. (2020). Economic evaluations and cost analyses in posttraumatic stress disorder: A systematic review. European Journal of Psychotraumatology, 11(1), 1753940. https://doi.org/10.1080/20008198.2020.1753940