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HOME Practitioner Directory For Veterans For Practitioners About Us Contact Us Additional Resources -------------------------------------- War Wives at Greater Risk of Postpartum Depression Sunday, 27 May 2007 According to a recent article in the Los Angeles Times, the wives of deployed servicemen are at greater risk of postpartum despression and should be screened after giving birth. See the article below. War Wives at Greater Risk of Postpartum Depression, by Denis Gellene Women with spouses on military deployment during their pregnancies face a nearly threefold higher risk for postpartum depression in initial screening tests, researchers reported this week. The findings mean that military wives should be informed of the risk and aggressively screened for depression during their postpartum medical exams, said lead author Dr. Jeffrey Millegan of the Naval Medical Center in San Diego. Postpartum depression is marked by feelings of guilt or hopelessness, and in some cases, suicidal thoughts or behaviors. Other symptoms include feelings of inadequacy about motherhood and nagging worries about the infant's safety. Postpartum depression is believed to affect 10% to 15% of new mothers and can occur up to three months after childbirth. Antidepressants or psychotherapy are effective treatments. The study, presented Monday at a American Psychiatric Assn. meeting in San Diego, looked at 415 women who received preliminary screening testsfor the condition approximately six weeks after their children were born. One-quarter of the 90 women whose husbands were deployed at any point during their pregnancy screened positive, according to the study, compared with 11% of the women whose husbands were not deployed. Researchers found that women whose husbands were deployed during their pregnancies had 2.7 times the risk of screening positive. The women who screened positive were referred for further mental health services. The study did not follow those women to learn whether they were ultimately diagnosed with postpartum depression. Still, Dr. Vivien Burt, director of the Women's Life Center at the UCLA Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital, said the results underscored the need for action because previous studies had shown that a mother's depression could leave lasting scars. "The impact is dramatic and has a ripple effect on other family members," she said.	For Practitioners Thank you for your willingness to give a session of your time to provide critical services to U.S. troops and their family members. To make this a successful experience, we want to be clear about our philosophy, guidelines, and expectations. Please contact us promptly should you have questions or concerns about our directory. Thank you for your generous contribution to our efforts. Philosophy and Guidelines Honor a Veteran (HaV) focuses on the mind/body needs of military personnel and their families. We are offering a range of mind/body services in order to address a variety of needs for the individuals seeking services. Our definition of “family” is quite broad and includes but is not limited to the following: spouses, children, parents, siblings, extended family members, and unmarried partners. We are offering our services to anyone who is or has been affected directly or indirectly (through a relationship with someone in the military) by the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. The individuals who seek services from HaV may benefit from different types of practitioners and healing modalities. We believe that most of those affected by these conflicts would not need the level of mind/body services they do now if not for the unusual and extreme circumstances within which they find themselves. Furthermore, many of those seeking services may not be familiar with many of the forms of mind/body therapy available today. Therefore, we recommend that providers describe their services in some detail for the benefit of those seeking assistance from them. While the standard within the mind/body community is to meet with the client in the practitioner’s office, we recognize that this may not be feasible for some individuals seeking services from HaV (called "visitors" on our Web site). We encourage the use of telephone support in those situations where the individual is unable to meet in person with the practitioner. We understand that therapists and counselors will need to rely on their professional judgment to determine when such contact may be insufficient to meet the individual’s mind/body needs. Expectations & Terms of Service Expectations You have generously agreed to provide one or more sessions of meaningful mind/body healing at no charge to a veteran or family member of a veteran. You have agreed to participate in Honor a Veteran (HaV) for a minimum of one year. We understand that extraordinary situations may arise that could prevent you from honoring your commitment. We ask that you contact us directly if such circumstances arise. During your year in our directory, you may work with one individual or you may see a series of visitors (clients). You may wish to offer HaV clients special discounts on therapy packages - please honor your commitment to provide at least one session free of any charge. This depends on the specific situations you encounter. We ask that you change your availability from "YES" to "NO" while you are working with an individual or family. This will prevent you from receiving requests from individuals if your time is filled. You can change your status in your user panel in the directory - just click the edit button on your listing and scroll to the bottom of the edit screen to change your status. The service you provide will be conducted in your office or on the phone. At this time we are not including internet support as part of our services. We expect you to keep in mind that HaV is a nonpolitical organization whose mission is to assist these soldiers and their families as they cope with the effects of deployment and combat. We know that you will conduct your practice using the highest ethical standards and that you will respect and honor the dignity and individuality of those who seek your assistance. Terms of Service You warrant that you are a trained and experienced practitioner of the mind/body healing modalities you offer and that you are in compliance with all pertinent laws and ordinances in the state in which you are practicing. You warrant that you are providing mind/body services in areas that you are qualified to practice - and make no unsubstantiated claims. Honor a Veteran specifically disclaims all warranties and liabilities regarding its clients. Honor a Veteran does not prescreen clients or practitioners. We expect you to take all precautions to ensure that your relationship with the clients is a safe and successful one. To register your practice with our directory, please click HERE. Let's stop the madness -	Military Service Doubles Suicide Risk Former military personnel are twice as likely to kill themselves as people who have not seen combat reports a study in the July issue of Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health. The results suggest that doctors need to look out for signs of suicidal intentions in soldiers returning from service in Afghanistan and Iraq. Researchers in the United States followed up 320,000 men aged over 18 years for 12 years and found that those who had served in the armed forces at some time between 1917 and 1994 were twice as likely to die from suicide compared with men in the general population. The risk was highest in veterans who could not participate fully in home, work or leisure activities because of a health problem. Veterans that killed themselves were also more likely to be older, white, better educated and less likely to have never been married than other suicides. Interestingly, former soldiers who were overweight were far less likely to kill themselves than those of normal weight. However, a tour of duty in the military did not increase the risk of dying from natural or accidental causes, or of being a homicide victim. The authors concluded: 'With the projected rise in functional impairments and psychiatric morbidity among veterans of the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq, clinical and community interventions that are directed towards these patients are needed.' ' Clinicians need to be alert for signs of suicidal intent among veterans, as well as their access to firearms.' The researchers found that veterans were 58% more likely to use a gun to kill themselves than other suicides. The research was funded with a grant from the US National Institute of Mental Health Suicide among male veterans: a prospective population-based study Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health 2007; 61: 619-624. doi: 10.1136/jech.2006.054346 www.jech.bmj.com
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