ReviewCureus2026
Stigma and Access to Mental Healthcare Among US Veterans.
Review in Cureus, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
1 citing paper in PubMed.
- Repeated Arrests and Associated Mental Health Characteristics in U.S. Veterans: Results from a Nationally Representative Study.The Psychiatric quarterly · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
2 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Mental health disorders, including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and substance use disorders, disproportionately affect US military veterans and contribute to increased morbidity and mortality. Despite the availability of Veterans Affairs (VA) mental health services, treatment engagement remains suboptimal. National survey data indicate that while approximately one quarter of veterans screen positive for a probable mental or substance use disorder, fewer than one-third report current mental healthcare utilization. Treatment gaps are especially concerning among high-risk groups, including veterans endorsing suicidal ideation, among whom only a minority engage in current mental health treatment. Stigma, both internalized and anticipated, along with structural barriers such as rural access limitations, system navigation challenges, and concerns regarding confidentiality, significantly contributes to poor utilization of mental health services. This narrative review synthesizes peer-reviewed literature published between 2014 and 2025 examining cultural, attitudinal, and structural barriers to mental healthcare utilization among US veterans and evaluates evidence-based interventions aimed at improving engagement and reducing stigma. Findings consistently demonstrate that internalized stigma, fear of judgment, and masculine identity norms deter help-seeking behaviors, while geographic isolation, administrative complexity, and perceived lack of confidentiality further exacerbate avoidance. Interventions associated with improved engagement include integrated primary care-mental health models, peer navigator programs, tele-mental health services, and targeted anti-stigma initiatives. Addressing both cultural and structural determinants through a multifaceted approach is essential to improving mental healthcare utilization among veterans. Family medicine physicians, particularly in rural and community-based settings, are uniquely positioned to facilitate early identification, reduce stigma, and promote sustained engagement in mental healthcare.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.