(PS1-85) Examining Sex and Racial Differences in Somatic Symptom Reporting Among Treatment-seeking Veterans with History of Military Sexual Trauma: A Cross-sectional Study Using the PHQ-15

As research on military sexual trauma (MST) advances, the roles of sex and race emerge as crucial factors shaping its impact. Yet, while existing literature has identified disparities in MST experiences among women and racial minorities, little is known about how these intersecting factors are associated with somatic symptoms in Veterans, particularly those with elevated mental health concerns. This study aims to bridge this gap by examining how the cumulative impact of trauma of MST, compounded by sex and racial differences, may correlate with somatic symptoms among Veterans.  

             We examined the prominence of a myriad of somatic complaints among Veterans seeking mental health services specific to MST (N = 105; 71% women; 29% men; 70.7% non-Latinx White; 29.3% non-Latinx Black). Veterans completed a semi-structured diagnostic interview and a measure of past-month somatic complaints (Patient Health Questionnaire-15; PHQ-15).  We investigated whether these complaints varied based on sex and racial identity for both comprehensive definitions of MST (MST-C) and those experiencing MST assault-type (MST-A). Overall, treatment seekers more frequently endorsed trouble sleeping, feeling tired/low energy, arms/legs/joint pain, and back pain, followed by men’s sexual pain and women’s headaches.  When contrasting women and men groups exposed to MST-C, women reported being significantly more bothered by stomach pain, headaches, constipation/loose bowels/diarrhea, low energy and total somatic complaints with medium through large effect sizes. In contrast, men demonstrated a significant and large effect size difference for increased sexual pain. Only women completed the menstrual pain item and endorsement was low.  No significant between group differences were noted for back pain, arm/legs/joint pain, chest pain, dizziness, fainting, heart racing, shortness of breath, nausea/gas/indigestion, or trouble sleeping. Although results were similar for MST-A restricted analyses, low energy and total PHQ-15 scores no longer demonstrated significant sex differences and the effect size magnitude for men’s sexual pain was stronger. No between-group differences were noted between White and Black Veterans both directly between groups and when controlling for sex differences between racial groups.
               Our study uniquely examined sex and race differences in somatic symptoms among treatment-seeking Veterans with higher mental health needs and a history of MST. Understanding the somatic symptomatology in this subgroup is crucial, as it highlights the importance to further investigate tailored evidence-based interventions that consider the intersection of sex/race and trauma among affected Veterans. Future research might also focus on examining risk factors within this population of Veterans, providing additional insights into effective intervention strategies. By fostering collaboration among researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and community stakeholders, we can collectively work towards improving outcomes and increasing resilience among Veterans affected by MST.