Military Service and Military Health Care Coverage are Associated with Reduced Racial Disparities in Time to Mental Health Treatment Initiation

Abstract: We aimed to evaluate whether military service and access to veteran heath care coverage attenuates racial/ethnic disparities in time to mental health treatment initiation for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), major depressive disorder, and/or alcohol-use disorder. Results are based on 13,528 civilians and 1392 veterans from NESARC-III. Among civilians, racial/ethnic minorities reported longer time to PTSD and depression treatment initiation than non-Hispanic whites. Among veterans, racial/ethnic minorities did not difer from whites in time to PTSD and depression treatment initiation, and showed shorter time to treatment initiation for alcohol-use disorder treatment. Racial/ethnic minorities with past year veteran healthcare coverage showed the strongest evidence for attenuated disparities.