Gender and ethnoracial disparities in Veterans’ trauma exposure prevalence across differing life phases
Abstract Background Veterans show increased vulnerability to trauma exposure. Yet, there is limited research examining Veterans’ prevalence of experiencing different trauma exposure types by race, gender, and ethnicity and across unique phases of life (i.e., pre-military service, during service, and...
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BMC
2025-02-01
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| Series: | Injury Epidemiology |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40621-025-00561-5 |
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| author | Fernanda S. Rossi Yael I. Nillni Alexandria N. Miller Annie B. Fox Johanne Eliacin Paula P. Schnurr Christopher C. Duke Jaimie L. Gradus Tara E. Galovski |
| author_facet | Fernanda S. Rossi Yael I. Nillni Alexandria N. Miller Annie B. Fox Johanne Eliacin Paula P. Schnurr Christopher C. Duke Jaimie L. Gradus Tara E. Galovski |
| author_sort | Fernanda S. Rossi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Veterans show increased vulnerability to trauma exposure. Yet, there is limited research examining Veterans’ prevalence of experiencing different trauma exposure types by race, gender, and ethnicity and across unique phases of life (i.e., pre-military service, during service, and post-service). This study compares trauma exposure prevalence across women and men Veterans of differing ethnoracial identities (i.e., white, Black, Hispanic) within three life phases (i.e., pre-military service, during military service, post-military service). Methods This study examined survey data from 3,544 Veterans (1,781 women; 1,686 men) across six discrete data collection points (between August 2018 to March 2022). Surveys were mailed nationally and oversampled for women (51.6%) and Veterans living in high crime areas (67.6%). Veterans reported on their exposure to various trauma types (e.g., sexual assault, physical assault, community violence, captivity, serious accident, witnessing violent death) at each wave of data collection using items from a modified Life Events Checklist. Veterans also reported on demographic information (e.g., gender, race, ethnicity). Chi-square analyses were conducted to compare prevalence of reported exposure to each trauma type within each life phase across gender and ethnoracial groups. Results There were significant differences in trauma exposure prevalence across: (1) men vs. women Veterans; (2) white vs. Black vs. Hispanic Veterans; (3) Black vs. Hispanic vs. white women Veterans; and (4) Black vs. Hispanic, vs. white men Veterans. For example, in this study, Black men Veterans reported higher prevalence of intimate partner physical assault exposure pre-service (14.8%) and post-service (27.1%) than White men Veterans (9.0% and 13.8%; prevalence ratios = 1.64, 95% CI = 1.17, 2.32 and 1.96, 95% CI = 1.53, 2.51). White women Veterans were less likely to witness a violent death pre-service (11.5%) than Black (21.1%; prevalence ratio = 1.83, 95% CI = 1.42, 2.37) or Hispanic (18.1%) women Veterans. Conclusions Findings help uncover disparities within Veteran subgroups. They inform mental health treatment and prevention services to better meet the needs of all Veterans across differing life phases. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-486ebdb3a0bb4f578720d5a419ee09d6 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2197-1714 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Injury Epidemiology |
| spelling | doaj-art-486ebdb3a0bb4f578720d5a419ee09d62025-02-09T12:04:08ZengBMCInjury Epidemiology2197-17142025-02-0112111510.1186/s40621-025-00561-5Gender and ethnoracial disparities in Veterans’ trauma exposure prevalence across differing life phasesFernanda S. Rossi0Yael I. Nillni1Alexandria N. Miller2Annie B. Fox3Johanne Eliacin4Paula P. Schnurr5Christopher C. Duke6Jaimie L. Gradus7Tara E. Galovski8Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of MedicineWomen’s Health Sciences Division, National Center for PTSD, VA Boston Health Care SystemWomen’s Health Sciences Division, National Center for PTSD, VA Boston Health Care SystemWomen’s Health Sciences Division, National Center for PTSD, VA Boston Health Care SystemWomen’s Health Sciences Division, National Center for PTSD, VA Boston Health Care SystemNational Center for PTSD, White River JunctionAltarumBoston University School of Public HealthWomen’s Health Sciences Division, National Center for PTSD, VA Boston Health Care SystemAbstract Background Veterans show increased vulnerability to trauma exposure. Yet, there is limited research examining Veterans’ prevalence of experiencing different trauma exposure types by race, gender, and ethnicity and across unique phases of life (i.e., pre-military service, during service, and post-service). This study compares trauma exposure prevalence across women and men Veterans of differing ethnoracial identities (i.e., white, Black, Hispanic) within three life phases (i.e., pre-military service, during military service, post-military service). Methods This study examined survey data from 3,544 Veterans (1,781 women; 1,686 men) across six discrete data collection points (between August 2018 to March 2022). Surveys were mailed nationally and oversampled for women (51.6%) and Veterans living in high crime areas (67.6%). Veterans reported on their exposure to various trauma types (e.g., sexual assault, physical assault, community violence, captivity, serious accident, witnessing violent death) at each wave of data collection using items from a modified Life Events Checklist. Veterans also reported on demographic information (e.g., gender, race, ethnicity). Chi-square analyses were conducted to compare prevalence of reported exposure to each trauma type within each life phase across gender and ethnoracial groups. Results There were significant differences in trauma exposure prevalence across: (1) men vs. women Veterans; (2) white vs. Black vs. Hispanic Veterans; (3) Black vs. Hispanic vs. white women Veterans; and (4) Black vs. Hispanic, vs. white men Veterans. For example, in this study, Black men Veterans reported higher prevalence of intimate partner physical assault exposure pre-service (14.8%) and post-service (27.1%) than White men Veterans (9.0% and 13.8%; prevalence ratios = 1.64, 95% CI = 1.17, 2.32 and 1.96, 95% CI = 1.53, 2.51). White women Veterans were less likely to witness a violent death pre-service (11.5%) than Black (21.1%; prevalence ratio = 1.83, 95% CI = 1.42, 2.37) or Hispanic (18.1%) women Veterans. Conclusions Findings help uncover disparities within Veteran subgroups. They inform mental health treatment and prevention services to better meet the needs of all Veterans across differing life phases.https://doi.org/10.1186/s40621-025-00561-5VeteransTrauma exposureGenderRaceEthnicityLife phases |
| spellingShingle | Fernanda S. Rossi Yael I. Nillni Alexandria N. Miller Annie B. Fox Johanne Eliacin Paula P. Schnurr Christopher C. Duke Jaimie L. Gradus Tara E. Galovski Gender and ethnoracial disparities in Veterans’ trauma exposure prevalence across differing life phases Injury Epidemiology Veterans Trauma exposure Gender Race Ethnicity Life phases |
| title | Gender and ethnoracial disparities in Veterans’ trauma exposure prevalence across differing life phases |
| title_full | Gender and ethnoracial disparities in Veterans’ trauma exposure prevalence across differing life phases |
| title_fullStr | Gender and ethnoracial disparities in Veterans’ trauma exposure prevalence across differing life phases |
| title_full_unstemmed | Gender and ethnoracial disparities in Veterans’ trauma exposure prevalence across differing life phases |
| title_short | Gender and ethnoracial disparities in Veterans’ trauma exposure prevalence across differing life phases |
| title_sort | gender and ethnoracial disparities in veterans trauma exposure prevalence across differing life phases |
| topic | Veterans Trauma exposure Gender Race Ethnicity Life phases |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40621-025-00561-5 |
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