You have probably heard of motivational interviewing (MI), a therapeutic approach to working with patients who are considering making a behavior change. Initially developed with alcohol use disorders, it has spread to other types of behavior change, including health-related behaviors. The goals is to help patients generate change from within, arguably making it more lasting.
The percent increase of telemental health appointments in the VA Health Care System from January to April of 2020. Although this level has likely fallen off as in-person appointments become more available, it’s clear that telemental health will be a much larger part of mental health care than it has been. In a recent study consumer openness to telehealth jumped from 11% pre-COIVD to 76% post-COVID.
The weekly Research Update contains the latest news, journal articles, useful links from around the web. Some of this week's topics include:
● Biopsychosocial factors and health outcomes associated with cannabis, opioids and benzodiazepines use among older veterans.
● Disentangling associations between military service, race, and incarceration in the U.S. population.
● Mental health service utilization after military missions: The double-edged consequences of unit-level organizational support.
Race was not on my radar growing up because I was surrounded by people who mostly looked just like me. As a White female growing up in a place so small it was technically a village, the most salient aspects of identity for me were around gender and socioeconomic status (SES). In my family, traditional gender roles prescribed the expectations of me and what I could do.
The prevalence of opioid use disorder among homeless veterans as compared to non-homeless veterans, according to a recent article in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence -- The association of opioid use disorder and homelessness nationally in the veterans health administration.