Does the Integration of Peers into the Treatment of Adults with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Improve Access to Mental Health Care? A Literature Review and Conceptual Model

Does the Integration of Peers into the Treatment of Adults with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Improve Access to Mental Health Care? A Literature Review and Conceptual Model

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), which has been associated with significant impairment in socio-occupational functioning, continues to be a mental health diagnosis of relevance and importance both domestically in the U.S and globally. In the United States, perhaps one of the most current pressing public health concerns is treating PTSD in veterans who served in the recent conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Up to 13% of veterans from the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan have combat-related PTSD and despite the availability of evidence based treatments, which ameliorate core PTSD symptoms and prevent further negative consequences such as substance abuse and suicide, help seeking veterans often do not follow up with the recommended course of psychological, or pharmacological therapies.