Citation:
Elnitsky, C. A., Blevins, C., Warren Findlow, J., Alverio, T., & Weise, D. (2018). Student veterans reintegrating from the military to the university with traumatic injuries: How does service use relate to health status? Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 99(2), S58–S64. doi:10.1016/j.apmr.2017.10.008
Summary:
Given the increasing numbers of student Veterans in higher education, clinicians, researchers, and stakeholders have examined strategies to optimize transition from military life to university life for student Veterans, especially those with disabilities. During their transition, effective use of campus resources and services provided by higher education institutions (e.g., Disability Support and Accommodation Services, Military Student Success Centers) could significantly improve the transition experience for student Veterans with disabilities.
This mixed-methods study recruited student Veterans from an urban research university. In the study, injury types included chronic pain (92.7%), posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD; 77.9%), traumatic brain injury (TBI; 26%), spinal cord injury (SCI; 11.4%), open wound (5.2%), burn (3.1%), and other (25%). The authors reported that student Veterans with TBI were found to use disability services significantly more than student Veterans without TBI. Student Veterans with chronic pain were found to use counseling services significantly more than student veterans without chronic pain. Although disabilities and functional limitations were found to be common in student Veterans, service utilization is very low among student Veterans with disabilities. Qualitative data findings revealed that receiving support from other student Veterans is critical for both academic success and reintegration to academic life. Participants reported that disability screening procedures should be expanded. Student Veterans also suggested that more Veterans be connected through university-wide communication, which could enhance student Veterans’ awareness of disability and counseling services and resources. This particular study did not examine whether student Veterans do not seek help due to stigma or college culture.
I CHOSE THIS ARTICLE to highlight the importance of gaining a better understanding of transition needs of student Veterans with disabilities in higher education. Given that the military culture places an emphasis on toughness, student Veterans may be hesitant to seek help. Most higher education institutions have pandemic related restrictions, which may in turn further affect access to disability and counseling resources for student Veterans with disabilities. This study provides a good snapshot of whether student Veterans with disabilities utilize disability and counseling services prior to the COVD-19 pandemic restrictions. My hope is that this study by Elnitsky, et. al., will increase awareness of needs of student Veterans with disabilities among clinicians, researchers, and stakeholders in higher education.
THIS REHABILITATION SCIENCE SPOTLIGHT was chosen by Emre Umucu, PhD, LPC, CRC Assistant Professor and Director of Veteran Well-Being Lab at The University of Texas at El Paso