Publication year
2012
Citation Title
Web-based posttraumatic stress disorder education for military family members.
Journal Name
Military Medicine
Journal Volume
177
Issue Number
3
Page Numbers
284-290
DOI
10.7205/MILMED-D-11-00350
Summary
An educational website about posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was created for military family members in order to increase PTSD-related knowledge and promote actions to help Service members with their symptoms. The findings indicate that use of the website improved military family members’ PTSD-related knowledge, and for some participants, stimulated discussion with the Service member about their symptoms or about seeking mental health care.
Key Findings
Military family members’ PTSD-related knowledge increased after accessing this educational website.
More than half of participants who visited the website a second time reported discussing symptoms with and/or persuading the Service member to seek medical or mental health services for their symptoms.
The majority of participants believed that their actions regarding encouraging Service members to seek medical attention was beneficial.
Implications for Program Leaders
Educate military family members about PTSD and related symptoms
Offer web-based resources to enhance education regarding PTSD for military Service members and their families
Inform Service member and their families about resources available for those struggling with mental health issues
Implications for Policy Makers
Continue to support post-deployment reintegration programs for Service members and their families
Support web-based education for family members in order to maximize treatment-seeking among military Service members experiencing symptoms of PTSD and related disorders
Support research efforts examining the effectiveness of web-based educational programs
Methods
This was a three-phase study which included: 1) focus groups; 2) a pilot study and a 25-item PTSD Knowledge Questionnaire; and 3) the primary study.
Participants were recruited through Family Readiness Groups and Family Advocacy Programs.
Primary analyses focused on comparison of PTSD Knowledge Questionnaire scores before and after accessing the website.
Participants
Focus groups were conducted with military family members (primarily spouses; two teenage children) from three sites across the country. No additional focus group demographics were provided.
The pilot study included 101 website users.
The primary study included 497 website users were included in analyses; 217 of the original 497 completed a return visit to the website.
Over three-quarters of the website users were females who identified themselves as a Service member’s spouse, the average age of participants was 30 years and approximately three-quarters of participants identified themselves as White.
Limitations
Results cannot be generalized to general military or Veteran populations because most respondents reported on males who were Active Duty in the Army.
Although a substantial number of fraudulent website users attempting to obtain compensation were detected and excluded, concerns about the validity of the included participants remain.
Focus group participants expressed concerns about confidentiality and adverse effects of accessing the website on the career of the Service members which may influence results.
Avenues for Future Research
Conduct additional studies with different military branches to increase generalizability to other Service members
Compare the benefit of accessing this website relative to other pre-existing PTSD-related websites (e.g., the National Center for PTSD website) may be useful in determining the utility of the website
Explore ways to address confidentiality issues
Focus
Multiple Branches
Target Population
Population Focus
Military Component
Abstract
Objective: Since post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is common after military deployment and affects both military service membes and their families, we sought to both improve PTSD-related knowledge of military family members and to foster actions to help service members with their symptoms. Methods: Focus groups were conducted with military family members and their feedback was incorporated into an educational Web site to improve family members' knowledge of PTSD. We pilot-tested the site and a 25-item questionnaire, then used it to assess the knowledge of 497 family members before and after their use of the Web site. Results: Use of this educational Web site improved military family members' PTSD-related knowledge on a 25-item test, with an increase from a mean 13.9 correct responses beforehand to 18.7 after Web site use (p < 0.001; effect size 1.2). In addition, 217 family members returned to the site ?10 days alter their initial visit; 57% had taken actions such as discussing the service member's symptoms with them or persuading them to get medical attention, and 82 to 95% of them believed their actions to be beneficial. Conclusion: A Web-based intervention can both improve PTSD-related knowledge and foster behavioral changes in military family members.
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