MENTAL-HEALTH-CARE NEEDS OF FEMALE VETERANS

Gender differences in diagnosis, demographic and family characteristic s, and trauma histories among psychiatric outpatients at a Veterans Af fairs clinic were examined. Among the 51 women and 46 men, significant ly more women had affective disorders and schizoaffective disorder; si gnificantly more men had anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, and substan ce use disorders. Although women had sharply higher rates than men of every type of trauma except combat trauma, more male veterans received a diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder. Men were four times mor e likely to be married. Women were move likely than men to be the sole caretakers of minor children. These differences have important treatm ent and policy implications. The findings confirm that recently initia ted VA programs recognize important treatment needs of female veterans .