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Evidence-Based Intervention Strategies for Veterans and Military Personnel with Traumatic Brain Injury and Co-Morbid Mental Health Conditions: A Systematic Review

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 April 2013

Bridget B. Matarazzo ,
Hal S. Wortzel ,
Brooke A. Dorsey Holliman  and
Lisa A. Brenner
Bridget B. Matarazzo*
Affiliation:
Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) 19 Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC), Denver, CO, USA University of Colorado, Denver, School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Denver, CO, USA
Hal S. Wortzel
Affiliation:
Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) 19 Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC), Denver, CO, USA University of Colorado, Denver, School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Denver, CO, USA University of Colorado, Denver, School of Medicine, Department of Neurology, Denver, CO, USA
Brooke A. Dorsey Holliman
Affiliation:
Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) 19 Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC), Denver, CO, USA
Lisa A. Brenner
Affiliation:
Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) 19 Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC), Denver, CO, USA University of Colorado, Denver, School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Denver, CO, USA University of Colorado, Denver, School of Medicine, Department of Neurology, Denver, CO, USA University of Colorado, Denver, School of Medicine, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Denver, CO, USA
*
Address for correspondence: Bridget B. Matarazzo, Psy.D., VISN 19 MIRECC, 1055 Clermont Street, Denver, CO 80220, USA. E-mail: Bridget.Matarazzo@va.gov
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Abstract

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is prevalent among veterans and military personnel. These individuals present with increased rates of co-morbid mental health conditions and are at increased risk for suicide. Evidence-based treatments are needed to serve this population. A systematic review was conducted in order to determine the state of the science with respect to interventions aimed at improving mental health outcomes among veterans and military personnel. Results indicate that only three published articles exist that met inclusion criteria for this systematic review. All three study designs were observational in nature. Significant risk of bias was noted. The body of evidence was rated according to the GRADE approach. Although the published work marks an important starting point in evaluating evidence-based treatments for veterans and military personnel with TBI, the overall quality of evidence was determined to be very low. Implications for both future research and current practice are discussed.

Keywords

traumatic brain injurymental healthtreatmentmedicationpsychotherapyveteransmilitary
Type
State of the Art Reviews
Information
Brain Impairment , Volume 14 , Issue 1: State of the art reviews in mental health after traumatic brain injury , May 2013 , pp. 42 - 50
Creative Commons
This is a work of the U.S. Government and is not subject to copyright protection in the United States.
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Australian Academic Press Pty Ltd 2013

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