UNDERDIAGNOSIS OF PTSD AND SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS IN HOSPITALIZED FEMALE VETERANS

Discharge diagnoses of 31 female veterans and 31 male veterans hospita lized at a large urban VA medical center were examined to elucidate po ssible biases in clinicians' diagnostic practices. Only one woman in t he sample was diagnosed as having posttraumatic stress disorder, compa red with seven men. All men given this diagnosis were combat veterans. Although about half of each group had a drug-positive urine screen on admission, only 11 women received a diagnosis of a substance use diso rder, compared with 24 men. VA clinicians may need further training an d experience assessing the presentation of PTSD and substance use diso rders in women.