I recently learned about updates to the Naval Center for Combat & Operational Stress Control’s Psychological Health Pathways (PHP) Initiative in a conversation with the center’s director, CAPT Scott L. Johnston. Here is an interview with CAPT Johnston to tell us more about the role of PHP and how it will help our Sailors and Marines access and receive mental health care.
The number of servicemembers evacuated from Iraq and Afghanistan for medical reasons from January 2003 through December 2011, according to data from the Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center, included in a January 2013 report from the Government Accountability Office -- Military Personnel: DOD Has Taken Steps to Meet the Health Needs of Deployed Servicewomen, but Actions Are Needed to Enhance Care for Sexual Assault Victims.
Happy Friday everyone and welcome to this week's edition of CDP News. We've been busy this week preparing for our upcoming military-orientated "Topics in Deployment Psychology" course. This eight-day training is a lot of work, but it's worth the all effort to have the opportunity to train both the current and next generation of military behavioral health providers. It kicks off this Monday and we're raring to go!
The CDP's weekly research update contains the latest news, journal articles and useful links from around the web. Some of this week's topics include:
• DOD Has Taken Steps to Meet the Health Needs of Deployed Servicewomen, but Actions Are Needed to Enhance Care for Sexual Assault Victims (GAO)
• DOD Health Care: Domestic Health Care for Female Servicemembers (GAO)
• The Future of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia: What Important Research Remains to Be Done?
Chronic pain is the most common reason for medical evacuation from Iraq and Afghanistan deployments, and spinal pain is the most frequent reason for medical boards across military services. Service members face unique challenges in coping with chronic pain, including role loss, the psychological impact of combat and negotiating the limited duty/profile/medical board process.