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Women veteran transition mental health and well-being support group programs: A scoping review.
Lawn, Sharon; Waddell, Elaine; Roberts, Louise; McNeill, Liz; Rioseco, Pilar; Wadham, Ben; Sharp, Tiffany; Beks, Tiffany; Lane, Jon; Hooff, Miranda Van; Mohammadi, Leila.
Afiliación
  • Lawn S; College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
  • Waddell E; Open Door Initiative, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
  • Roberts L; Lived Experience Australia, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
  • McNeill L; College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
  • Rioseco P; Open Door Initiative, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
  • Wadham B; College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
  • Sharp T; Open Door Initiative, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
  • Beks T; College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
  • Lane J; Open Door Initiative, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
  • Hooff MV; College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
  • Mohammadi L; Australian Institute of Family Studies, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
Womens Health (Lond) ; 20: 17455057241275441, 2024.
Article en En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-39238243
ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND:

The military is a male-dominated environment and culture in which women veterans can experience significant institutional prejudice. Transition can be confusing and isolating for women veterans. Group programs are an important source of transition support. However, we know little about the specific group program needs of women veterans.

OBJECTIVES:

To examine mental health and well-being support group programs delivered to women veterans, to understand what they value and find most helpful. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA Women military veterans (all types); empirical studies using any design; published between 1990 and 2022; group programs focused on transition issues (such as housing, employment, education, physical health, mental health). SOURCES OF EVIDENCE Peer-reviewed journals and theses. CHARTING

METHODS:

Six databases searched Medline (via Ovid SP), PsycINFO (via Ovid SP), EmCare (via Ovid SP), CINAHL, Scopus, and ProQuest.

RESULTS:

There was significant heterogeneity across 35 included studies in type of groups, program content and structure, length of sessions, measurement of impact, follow-up, and so forth. Most programs were delivered face to face. Physical health and preventative healthcare were important topics for women veterans, particularly reproductive health, mental health, and chronic pain. Groups that included physical activity, creative arts, and alternative therapies were beneficial to women's physical and mental health. Strengths-based women-only groups, facilitated by women, that created safe spaces for women veterans to share their experiences, enhanced self-expression, agency, and self-empowerment. This was particularly important for women who had experience military sexual trauma.

CONCLUSION:

This review found a small but diverse range of group programs available for women veterans. Many program evaluations were of moderate or low quality and lacked sufficient information to determine whether benefits were sustained over time. No studies involved Australian women veterans. Despite these concerns, this review highlighted several useful lessons that could help inform improved design, delivery, and evaluation of group programs for women veterans.
Review of women veteran transition mental health and well-being support group programsWomen veterans learn to become soldiers, sailors and aviators in a male-dominated environment and culture in which their presence is highly visible, challenged and often subject to institutional prejudice. Transition can be confusing and isolating for women veterans. We know little about the specific needs of women veterans to support them to transition successfully to civilian life. Group programs are an important source of transition and post-transition support for veterans. The aim of this review was to examine the existing literature on mental health and well-being support group programs delivered to women veterans to understand what women veterans value and find most helpful in the design and delivery of such programs. Thirty-five studies were included in this review; 33 of these were conducted in the United States. They were of mixed quality and diverse design. Women only groups were favored. Strengths-based Programs that help to build emotional strengths, agency and empowered women were valued by them. Physical health and preventative healthcare are important topics for group programs for women veterans, as are creative arts and alternative therapies that facilitate self-expression and self-empowerment.
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Texto completo: 1 Colección: 01-internacional Base de datos: MEDLINE Asunto principal: Veteranos / Salud Mental Límite: Female / Humans Idioma: En Revista: Womens Health (Lond) Asunto de la revista: SAUDE DA MULHER Año: 2024 Tipo del documento: Article País de afiliación: Australia Pais de publicación: Estados Unidos
Texto completo
Añadir a Mi BVS
Imprimir
XML
PubMed Links
Buscar en Google

Texto completo: 1 Colección: 01-internacional Base de datos: MEDLINE Asunto principal: Veteranos / Salud Mental Límite: Female / Humans Idioma: En Revista: Womens Health (Lond) Asunto de la revista: SAUDE DA MULHER Año: 2024 Tipo del documento: Article País de afiliación: Australia Pais de publicación: Estados Unidos