Impact of the Post Deployment Assessment and Treatment Residential Rehabilitation Program on Quality of Life in Veterans with Multiple Medical and Psychiatric Comorbidities

Abstract

<h3>Research Objectives</h3> To evaluate the impact of a residential psychological rehabilitation program on quality of life of veterans with comorbid mental health, substance use, and neurological conditions (e.g. traumatic brain injury). <h3>Design</h3> Before-and-after trial of a novel neurorehabilitation program for Veterans with complex postdeployment needs. <h3>Setting</h3> Interdisciplinary residential inpatient rehabilitation program in a Veteran's Administration hospital. <h3>Participants</h3> Participants were 48 male residents (24 to 61 years of age, M = 36.85 (SD = 9.50)), 68.8% were non-Hispanic Caucasian, 8.3% Asian/Pacific Islander, 4.2% African-American, 8.3% Hispanic, 10.4% Native-American/Alaskan Native, mean education was 13.00 years (SD = 1.39, range = 9 to 19). Mean months deployed was 14.61 (SD = 8.80, range = 0 to 42). The three most common mental health diagnoses were sleep-wake disorder, trauma and stress-related disorder, and anxiety disorders. A total of 43.8%, n = 21, of participants experienced problems with alcohol abuse. Assessment was completed immediately prior to and up to two weeks after discharge. <h3>Interventions</h3> Participants received intensive individual and group therapies from an interdisciplinary team with an emphasis on community re-integration. The length of treatment varied from two weeks to sixty weeks. <h3>Main Outcome Measures</h3> World Health Organization Quality of Life-Brief (WHOQOL-BREF), a well-validated 26-item measure of quality of life within four domains (physical health, psychological well-being, social relationships, and environment). <h3>Results</h3> Results showed significant change on all four WHOQOL-BREF domains after program participation, t's = 4.15 to 6.20, all p's <.001. Number of military deployments was marginally negatively associated with degree of improvement on the physical health domain (r = -.28, p < .10). Nondeployment during military service was marginally positively associated with increases on the social relationship domain (p < .10, t = -1.83). <h3>Conclusions</h3> Findings support the benefit of the Post Deployment Assessment and Treatment residential rehabilitation intervention for improvement of quality of life. Comprehensive rehabilitation efforts are important and can be helpful with Veterans who experience multiple comorbities. <h3>Author(s) Disclosures</h3> The authors report no relevant disclosures.