Compensation and Pension Exams for Military Sexual Trauma–Related Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: Examiner Perspectives, Clinical Impacts on Veterans, and Strategies

Military sexual trauma-related posttraumatic stress disorder service-connection: Characteristics of claimants and award denial across gender, race, and compared to combat trauma

“…The process of filing, adjudicating, evaluating, and rating of MST-related PTSD claims is distinct from other PTSD and mental health claims, and has substantial impacts on the well-being and VHA care utilization decisions of the thousands of veterans entering this process annually [ 10 , 16 , 31 ]. Despite disability claims constituting the majority of VA’s annual budget [ 32 ], there is limited empirical data publicly available on MST-related claims processes and awards outcomes, but available data indicates the number of MST-related claims filed and awarded has increased in recent decades.…”

“…The association between race, gender and denial of MST claims may be due to a differently experienced process across race and gender among veterans who file MST-related claims. Interviews with VA staff who conduct C&P exams for MST describe unique challenges for men and racial minority veterans who file MST-related disability claims due to stigma, VA staff bias, and less documented evidence vis-à-vis markers [ 31 ]. These factors might influence how the evidence supporting claims is found and assembled, possibly in a way that makes claim denial more likely among men veterans and Black veterans.…”

“…combat-related claims (102,409) than MST-related PTSD claims (31,803), though this is expected given that MST goes largely unreported within the military and VA [1,4,5] and MST claims have greater evidentiary requirements than combat-related PTSD claims [10].…”