Publications by authors named "Peter J Na"

While there is a growing body of literature on mindfulness and mindfulness-based interventions in veteran population, less is known about who might benefit from these interventions. In this study, we analysed data from a nationally representative sample of 4069 U.S.

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In line with the US Department of Veterans Affairs' adoption of a Whole Health approach to healthcare, there has been growing interest in factors linked to veterans' perceptions of well-being. To date, no known study has examined levels and correlates of perceived happiness in this population. To examine this question, we analyzed data from the National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study, which surveyed a nationally representative sample of 4,069 US military veterans.

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Article Synopsis
  • * The prevalence of lifetime full PTSD is reported at 8.4%, while subthreshold PTSD is at 3.9%, with both conditions linked to various psychiatric disorders and clinical issues.
  • * Veterans with subthreshold PTSD experience significant reductions in mental, psychosocial, and cognitive functioning, indicating the need for targeted identification and treatment to improve their overall well-being.
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This guest editorial describes the importance of converging genetics and psychosocial epidemiology research methods to understand the biopsychosocial etiology of psychiatric phenotypes.

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Objectives: Loneliness is a significant public health concern associated with adverse mental and physical health outcomes in older adults. This study examined the nature and correlates of predominant loneliness trajectories in a nationally representative sample of older U.S.

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Objectives: To determine the prevalence and correlates of successful aging in US veterans who screened positive for current major depressive disorder (MDD), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), and/or posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Methods: In a nationally representative sample of 475 US military veterans (mean age=58.3, SD=14.

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Background: Distress related to systemic racism in the public service and healthcare systems is linked to adverse mental health sequelae in racial and ethnic minority populations. Emerging research has found that distress related to racism may impact military veterans, an increasingly racially and ethnically diverse segment of the US population who are at increased risk of mental health problems relative to non-veterans. To date, however, no known study has examined longitudinal trends in distress related to systemic racism in this population.

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Background: The prevalence of co-occurring chronic pain and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has yet to be established in a nationally representative sample of US veterans, and little is known about the individual contributing roles of these disorders to the psychiatric and functional burden of this comorbidity.

Objective: To determine the prevalence of chronic pain, PTSD, and co-occurring chronic pain and PTSD, and psychiatric comorbidities and psychosocial functioning in these groups.

Design: Data were analyzed from the National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study, which surveyed a nationally representative sample of US veterans.

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The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is actively transitioning away from a disease-centric model of healthcare to one that prioritizes disease prevention and the promotion of overall health and well-being.

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Background: Although many studies indicate that individuals who have experienced a traumatic event can experience posttraumatic growth (PTG), some researchers have questioned the significance of PTG in associations with functioning. The role of PTG in functioning following trauma may be better elucidated by accounting for its joint effects with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms.

Methods: Data were analyzed from the National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study, which surveyed a nationally representative sample of 3847 trauma-exposed U.

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Objective: Problem opioid use (POU) is a serious public health crisis in the United States. However, little research has examined the prevalence, correlates, and psychiatric characteristics of POU in vulnerable segments of the population, such as US military veterans.

Methods: Data were analyzed from the National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study, which surveyed a nationally representative sample of 2441 US veterans.

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Article Synopsis
  • A study analyzed how alcohol use changed among US veterans during the COVID-19 pandemic, using data from over 2,400 veterans.
  • Four distinct patterns of alcohol use were identified: consistent, decreasing, increasing, and low, with the majority (89.4%) falling into the low use category.
  • Factors like higher income, pre-existing drug use disorders, and lower social support were linked to increased problematic alcohol use, suggesting insights that could guide prevention strategies during crises.
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Article Synopsis
  • The study investigates how biological (genetic) and psychosocial/environmental factors interact to influence the risk of opioid dependence (OD), particularly focusing on polygenic risk for opioid use disorder (OUD).
  • Data from 1958 European ancestry adults revealed that 21.1% had a lifetime diagnosis of OD, with higher OUD polygenic risk scores (PRS) correlating to increased odds of OD, while factors like household income and education significantly impacted this risk.
  • Findings indicate that while genetic factors alone may not be sufficient for predicting OD risk, incorporating psychosocial elements like education and PTSD can enhance understanding and help in developing targeted interventions for this public health issue.
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Objectives: The coronavirus disease-2019 pandemic has contributed to widespread social and economic stressors, along with substantial health problems, including loss of life. To date, however, relatively few studies have examined the prevalence and correlates of declines in mental and physical functioning in U.S.

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Despite increasing recognition that positive psychological changes or posttraumatic growth (PTG) may develop after highly stressful or traumatic events, contemporary population-based data on the epidemiology of PTG in high-risk samples such as U.S. military veterans are lacking.

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