The opioid epidemic is currently a significant concern for the United States government. As opioids are frequently administered against pain-induced afflictions, instances of opioid abuse disorders steadily increase every year. The veteran population has been shown to suffer from the effects of the opioid epidemic as their physical condition requires the administration of powerful pain-eliminating drugs. In addition, veterans belonging to ethnic minorities are especially likely to encounter negative consequences of such treatment due to the decreased quality of life observed in the majority of ethnic groups. Contemporary research proposes several main methods that could be successfully applied to the rehabilitation of veterans from ethnic minorities suffering from opioid treatment effects. The current Specialization Plan evaluates the existing framework for this problem, outlining education courses relevant for study advances.
Keywords: Minority Veterans, Opioid Epidemic among Veterans, Ethnic Disparities, Opioid Misuse, Minority Veteran Interventions.
Specialization Plan: Veterans from Ethnic Minorities and the Opioid Epidemic
In 2017, U.S. Government Health Services declared the opioid epidemic a public health emergency, stating that it continuously affects numerous Americans (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, n.d.). The opioid crisis is a condition of prevalent overdose-related deaths in the population connected to “the misuse of and addiction to opioids” (National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2020, para. 1). This event is of great concern for the veteran populations, who suffer the gruesome consequences of the opioid epidemic (Minegishi & Frakt, 2018). Veterans demonstrate elevated levels of chronic pain due to the impact of military experiences and frequently take pain relievers to alleviate physical pain. In addition, Veterans often manifest the symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which has been reported to worsen the occurrences of pain and contribute to the development of addictions (Hudson et al., 2017). PTSD and opioid medication have been shown to negatively impact service members’ welfare and everyday activities, exposing thousands of individuals to opioid misuse (Bennett et al., 2019).
A growing body of evidence demonstrates the adverse effects of the opioid epidemic on the veteran populations (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration [SAMHSA], 2018). About 562,000 U.S. veterans currently suffer from mental disorders, health impairments, and increased mortality rates due to opioid misuse (SAMHSA, 2018). At least 1.1 million veterans are known to misuse opioids, resulting in substance use disorders (SUDs), with at least 468,000 people with previous military experience exhibiting SUDs and mental illnesses (SAMHSA, 2018). In 2018, psychotherapeutic drugs were the second addictive substance most consumed by Veterans, with 1,172,371 Veterans undergoing pharmacotherapy due to opioid misuse (SAMHSA, 2018). Misuse of prescription opioids is a crucial problem, and it has been suggested that this condition also leads to mental disorders necessitating psychological drug therapy (Hudson et al., 2017). Therefore, veterans are frequently forced to participate in treatment for pain relief, opioid misuse, PTSD, and psychological well-being (Morland et al., 2014).
A lower level of welfare among veterans significantly impacts their capabilities. Such opioid misuse risk factors as social isolation, lack of self-acceptance, and chronic pain significantly contribute to the elevated risk of opioid misuse development in veterans (Rhee & Rosenheck, 2019; Smith, 2021). The most common outcomes of opioid misuse that outline the impact of the opioid epidemic on veterans are the increased prevalence of addictive drug behaviors, anxiety, and depression (Zesiger, 2018). These complications account for the inability to properly cope with traumatic experiences and worse well-being in the long term. Considering this evidence, scholars have directed their attention towards opioid-related welfare problems in veterans.
The research on the opioid crisis among veterans shows the consequences of opioid treatment (Horrom, 2020). According to Horrom (2020), veterans commonly report health conditions such as “chronic pain, sleep problems, anxiety, and depression” induced by opioid treatment (para. 8). Horrom (2020) also highlighted the overprescription of opioid medications, especially when combined with benzodiazepine (Horrom, 2020). Although other PTSD and trauma treatment pathways are suggested as replacements for opioid treatment, the overall tendency to administer opioid substances remains high due to their expressed efficacy (SAMHSA, 2018). Of particular concern are the addictive qualities of opioids, which lead to physical dependence and are challenging to treat (SAMHSA, 2018). Nevertheless, an underexplored branch of research regards the impact of the opioid pandemic on minority veterans.
Opioid Misuse and Ethnic Minority Veterans
The veteran population is highly culturally distinctive. The overall number of veterans in the US is 22.3 million, and a quarter of them are ethnic minorities (Coleman et al., 2018). Veterans from ethnic minorities appear to be more severely impacted by difficulties caused by traumatic experiences and opioid misuse (Goetter & Blackburn, 2019). Due to social disparities, these populations are less likely to access potential treatment options (Goetter & Blackburn, 2019). As such, veterans from ethnic minorities have been reported to experience worse outcomes of opioid treatment because of limitations on socioeconomic status and limited rehabilitation opportunities (Nichter et al., 2019). Although all veterans have specific behavioral problems rooted in military service, individuals from ethnic groups often face additional social reintegration issues and numerous personal and socioeconomic issues (Wooten, 2015).
For this Specialization Plan, I reviewed 24 studies that explore the impact of opioid misuse on veterans. The articles for the review were selected based on the theme and the nature of research, as well as the underlying theoretical basis and the empirical methods. As such, the criteria for selection were the focus on veteran populations’ opioid misuse tendencies, the consideration of the participants’ minority status, qualitative, quantitative, or Delphi method of investigation, and credibility of the research strategies. From these articles, ten studies discuss the effects of opioid misuse on ethnic minorities, and they will be discussed in more detail in the subsequent sections of the Specialization Plan. For instance, Coleman et al. (2018) claimed that veterans from small ethnic groups are less likely to participate in therapy and have non-sufficient access to adequate care. Similarly, Burgess et al. (2014) also suggested that minority veterans are more frequently prescribed opioid drugs than White veteran patients.
In addition, Krawczyk et al. (2017) present evidence that opioid misuse therapy is more accessible for White veterans, while ethnic minority veterans struggle to receive such treatment. Furthermore, veteran ethnic groups have been reported to manifest decreased goal attainment and overall life satisfaction (Paulsen, 2014). Considering the difficulties related to overcoming the symptoms of traumatic experience and PTSD, veterans belonging to ethnic minorities are more exposed to opioid misuse, resulting in a higher prevalence of opioid disorders in these populations (Schuler et al., 2021). Therefore, opioid misuse among ethnic minority veterans has a catastrophic impact upon numerous areas of life. This Specialization Plan focuses primarily on the opioid epidemic, opioid misuse, and its effect on minority veterans.
Relevance to Social Work
The core of my specialization plan is social work interventions and policies derived from opioid misuse risk factors related to the opioid crisis among minority veterans in the US. Veterans comprise a unique social group with various traits that should be regarded when conducting social interventions. Military experience is a unique characteristic of this social group, and research suggests that this aspect is important to consider during social work (Nichter et al., 2019). In addition, Smith (2021) has shown that culturally appropriate treatment methods are significantly more effective for social interventions. The literature review conducted by the author and the examination of findings on the topic demonstrate that trauma-informed care becomes significantly more effective when the ethnic characteristics of the veterans are taken into account (Smith, 2021). Recognizing the veterans’ experiences and their connection to a unique social group appear to greatly enhance their preparedness for change and the success of transitioning into civilian life.
In this regard, it is essential to provide adequate care concerning pain management, opioid misuse prevention, and psychological welfare, addressing the military and ethnic experiences of minority veterans. Before detailing the remainder of the specialization plan, I evaluate the primary theories addressing veteran Opioid Misuse.
Theories Addressing Veteran Opioid Misuse
The Psychosocial Theory
I evaluated three of the most frequently utilized theories observed in the 24 studies. The psychosocial theory is the first prominent method that I selected for this review. This framework explains opioid misuse as a maladaptive reaction mechanism to social factors, which prompts the emergence of addictive behaviors (Lettieri et al., 1980). Veterans experience social isolation and face challenges returning to civilian life, experiencing significant distress, and having to battle the negative consequences of military work. The psychosocial theory connects veterans’ struggle to reintegrate into civilian society with the tendency to misuse opioid medications, highlighting the factors of availability and proneness as the contributing elements in opioid misuse (Lettieri et al., 1980).
The availability of opioid medication and its pain-reducing effects are suggested as factors that lead the veterans to believe that opioids might successfully battle emotional pain. In this regard, as veterans with PTSD possess access to prescription opioids and experience severe emotional burden, they begin to consider opioid medication as the only medication capable of tackling psychological issues. Thus, the possibility of misusing the administered medication to relieve the occurring symptoms of anxiety and depression increases dramatically.
Cognitive-Behavioral Theory of Opioid Addiction
After that, I examined the cognitive-behavioral theory of substance addiction as a theoretical basis that is most frequently used to address opioid misuse in veterans from a psychological perspective. According to this framework, repeated occurrence of PTSD symptoms and negative affective states contributes to developing maladaptive thoughts and behaviors, which decrease the person’s capability to manage these emotions without medication (Teeters et al., 2017). It is essential to consider that opioid drugs are highly more accessible to veterans managing chronic pain, while psychotherapeutic medication requires acknowledging opioid misuse and consulting another professional (Carrola & Corbin-Burdick, 2015). Most veterans are reluctant towards psychotherapy, which is the phenomenon that CBT considers a maladaptive escape mechanism to shield the mind from additional stress (Morland et al., 2014). As such, increased craving for strong medicine, persistent anxiety, stress, and relapsing pain are often recognized as symptoms of non-functional behavior, which require cognitive-behavioral intervention.
The Posttraumatic Growth Framework
Finally, the evidence that I examined proposes that posttraumatic growth (PTG) theory might be a helpful strategy for addressing opioid misuse in veterans through pain management. PTG implies that the adverse impact following psychological trauma induces individual changes in the coping process, prompting the person to use methods perceived as efficient (Blevins, 2019). Thus, in the absence of viable alternatives, veterans often rely on opioids, which, in turn, facilitate substance addiction. The PTG approach proposes that it is possible to initiate positive changes after trauma by rebuilding the individual’s perspective on the world (Carrola & Corbin-Burdick, 2015). This method can be incredibly efficient against not only the PTSD manifestations but also the trauma received during military service, which is highly significant for veteran rehabilitation. The current opioid misuse interventions focus on the psychosocial, cognitive-behavioral, and PTG theory; however, other educational and medical options are also available.
Opioid Misuse Intervention Approaches and Empirical Evidence
Based on the literature, I reviewed three primary Opioid misuse intervention approaches: Medication-Based Treatment, Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Post-Traumatic Growth (PTG) strategy. The difficulties at work, traumatizing military experiences, PTSD, and social challenges of adaptation are the basis for these interventions (Bernardy & Montano, 2019). The principal areas are researching and promoting overdose-reversing drugs, improving pain management treatment through the introduction of alternative coping mechanisms, and addressing the origins of traumatic experiences (National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2020). However, the development of alternative medication and appropriate psychological counseling are essential when implementing any kind of intervention approach.
Intervention Approaches
The implemented initiatives aim to reduce prescribing opioid drugs, promoting opiate substitution through alternative pain relief medications (Bennett et al., 2013). Medication-based treatment of opioid misuse is phenomenally successful in tackling the problem, which involves administering an opioid antidote, naloxone, and safe opiate prescription programs initiation and monitoring (Wickramatilake et al., 2017). However, these approaches fail to identify and address the most crucial factors that compel veterans to return to substance use, precisely the psychological elements of opioid misuse induced by military trauma.
Main intervention methods, namely psychological therapies, focus on the psychological aspects of opioid addiction, suggesting group counseling and individual therapy as management interventions. During these sessions, veterans are prompted to uncover the mental attributes that promote drug dependency, participating in the treatment with other veterans or personally (Phillips et al., 2017). The most used strategies are CBT and PTG, which report high-efficiency rates and positive outcomes (Coleman et al., 2018). While CBT focuses on identifying maladaptive behaviors and proposing techniques that alter these behaviors, PTG directs the individual’s attention towards trauma and subsequent growth. Nonetheless, it is essential to consider the practical outcomes of all available intervention methods.
Results of Studies of Intervention Approaches
To further establish the productivity of the analyzed intervention approaches, I explored seven empirical studies focused on this topic. Wickramatilake et al. (2017) outlined educational interventions areas the most frequently applied in the USA. These endeavors are focused on opiate-dependent individuals, prescribers, pharmacists, and family members of individuals with opioid misuse and are reported as beneficial for various communities (Wickramatilake et al., 2017). After that, Turvey et al. (2020) discussed treatment and prescription management initiatives as prominent strategies for reducing opiate dependency levels. The observational report by Volkow and Collins (2017) stated that research devoted to developing opioid antidotes, such as naloxone and non-pain relievers, also highlights the efficiency of such substitutes.
A recent literature review study by Carrola and Corbin-Burdick (2015) reported that psychological treatment interventions are highly effective in negating the onset of opioid misuse. The authors analyzed the evidence from an enormous scope of intervention investigations, concluding that PTG might be a more viable approach to alleviating the negative consequences of veteran opioid misuse. As supported by Teeters et al. (2017), although CBT is considered adequate for treating substance abuse disorders, its effects are short-term and less beneficial for addressing the core issues behind the addiction. In contrast, PTG uncovers the source of the maladaptive behavior, namely military trauma, prompting the veterans to reflect on this experience and accept it as a part of their personal growth (Blevins, 2019).
Analysis of Intervention Approaches
However, as I examined the studies, I have learned that there are significant barriers to the successful practical application of the designated approaches. First, the deployment culture imposes a non-vulnerable veteran image due to which they are intimidated to seek help (Bennett et al., 2013). Second, the interventions aimed at reducing long-term opioid intake have been reported to cause overdose deaths among veterans (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 2020). Finally, solely educational interventions also fail to effectively reduce opioid misuse (Bennett et al., 2013). Consequently, the observed intervention approaches allow for achieving small-scale results.
Apart from medical interventions, psychological therapy offers minority veterans the possibility of changing their current worldview, accepting past experiences, and reducing their harmful impact (Waters, 2021). Considering that educational interventions are often too broad to address specific populations and medical treatment can only alleviate the physical effects of addiction, psychological counseling is currently considered the most advantageous method to improve minority veterans’ well-being.
Overall, PTG can be seen as a preventative intervention that can improve the well-being of veterans belonging to ethnic minorities, addressing the issues they encounter during opioid PTSD treatment. As a framework that approaches opioid addiction from multiple perspectives, allowing to uncover the source of maladaptive behavior and eliminate its negative influence, PTG appears to be highly advantageous for veterans struggling with military trauma and the disadvantages of representing an ethnic minority. However, the proper application of any prominent strategies requires additional attention from the policymakers. Therefore, the current policy landscape surrounding opioid addiction complications is vital to consider.
Policies Addressing Opioid Misuse in Veterans
Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment Act
To thoroughly discuss the impact of the opioid epidemic and the mitigation practices adopted by government authorities, I analyzed three policies currently enacted by the state. One of the recently enacted policies that organize anti-opioid campaigns in the US is the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment (SUPPORT) for Patients and Communities Act of 2018. Timely therapeutic care is planned for patient groups, including monitoring and controlling the prescription of opioids (SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act, 2018). The SUPPORT Act forecasts necessary resources in terms of funding and workforce to ensure the successful completion of its goals. However, it views veterans as an insignificant population because it contains only several provisions aimed at the veteran population’s needs. There is an insufficient articulation of minority veteran-specific issues that must be tackled to stop the epidemic.
The Affordable Care Act
Another central policy that addresses the opioid crisis is the Affordable Care Act (ACA, 2010). It expands Medicaid to minimize deaths caused by opiate overdose and provides funding and guidelines for the timely diagnosis of opioid misuse (Grogan et al., 2020). Nonetheless, its provisions have varying levels of implementation in different states due to such factors as opioid-related mortality rates, demographics, ethnicity numbers, and health care funding. Furthermore, as some states have not expanded the Medicaid program, many veterans remain uninsured, meaning the lack of access to potentially beneficial treatment strategies.
Opioid Safety Initiative
Furthermore, an organization-based policy is implemented by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (2019). Unlike all previous approaches, the Opioid Safety Initiative is explicitly aimed at veterans. It addresses opioid misuse via preventative, educational, treatment, and therapeutic interventions (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 2019). The initiative has demonstrated meaningful results in the reduction of opioid overdose deaths among U.S. veterans. Nevertheless, as the ACA absorbed the policy, it is less used by veterans. In addition, this program does not consider the psychological effects of opioid prescription medicine, only introducing screening methods and prescribing strategies that limit the amounts of administered drugs (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 2019). Scholarly research suggests that more evidence-based approaches are needed for successfully battling the opioid epidemic, leading to several investigation methodologies for studying opioid misuse among veteran minorities.
Research Methodologies
Common Methodological Issues
For my topic of opioid misuse among ethnic minority veterans, I reviewed 24 studies, focusing on their methodology. The most familiar methodological challenges I noted were the inadequacy of addressing the comorbidities accompanying opioid misuse and the inconsistent diagnoses related to comorbid states (Bernardy & Montano, 2019; Todd et al., 2004). The research that involved participants contained issues with sampling strategies and statistical data support. The most significant ones were the lack of national data, insufficient documentation, limitations of comorbid diagnoses, and small clinical samples (Hudson et al., 2017; Najavits et al., 2000). Many studies were based on retrospective design or used data from past decades that do not reflect the current situation (Hudson et al., 2017; Najavits et al., 2000).
Ethnic Minority Research in Veteran Studies
Veteran populations, especially those representing an ethnic minority, might be challenging to locate and be involved in the studies, resulting in the reduced credibility of the data and a diminished number of available studies (Coleman et al., 2018). Out of the 24 studies that I reviewed, 16 studies recorded the participants’ ethnicity, but only ten investigated whether any correlations between the veterans’ ethnic minority status and opioid misuse are present. These trends are outlined in Table 1. In an overview of recent studies, Coleman et al. (2018) argued that only a small body of research focuses on the issues encountered by ethnic minority veterans affected by the opioid crisis. Doran et al. (2017) claimed that veterans from minority groups are reluctant towards psychotherapy, while Lester et al. (2010) reported that there is not enough research to outline the differences in opioid therapy treatments for this population. Furthermore, Coleman et al. (2018) also claimed that most studies do not consider the attributes of ethnic belonging or dismiss the importance of this information and state that more evidence is required in this sphere.
Table 1. The Records of Veterans’ Ethnic Minority Status and Its Connection to Opioid Misuse in the Reviewed Articles.
Qualitative Research Methodologies
Veteran opioid misuse research includes qualitative and qualitative methodologies. For this paper, I analyzed 24 articles, of which only 5 included qualitative studies, proposing that the qualitative method is less prominent among scholars. For instance, qualitative research on the obstacles that reduce the multimodality treatment success rates were conducted by Simmonds et al. (2015), who utilized the focus group technique to assess the veterans’ experiences with opioid treatment for chronic pain. Twenty-five veterans were selected for a 90-minute focus group discussion, during which the researchers transcribed the participants’ answers to questions related to pain attitudes, beliefs, and social norms (Simmonds et al., 2015). The gathered data were coded and analyzed according to the Grounded Theory approach, allowing the scholars to outline the most frequently emerging categories. The authors reported that negative attitudes towards non-opioid forms of therapy are often present in veterans, diminishing the treatment possibilities (Simmonds et al., 2015).
Leonard et al. (2021) presented similar semi-structured interview findings, who argued that issues with patient engagement and the popularity of opioids form a tendency towards veteran opioid misuse. The authors interviewed 49 primary care workers who attended to veterans with persistent chronic pain managed by opioid treatment, using the content analysis strategy to distinguish significant themes. According to the results, three topics were most frequently discussed: the healthcare system’s efficiency, multimodal treatment shifts, and the pressure from the patients. Only one qualitative study among the five reviewed examined the effects of ethnic minority belonging, highlighting that ethnic minority veterans often feel abandoned or unsuitable for society (Shorer et al., 2018). The semi-structured interview conducted by Shorer et al. (2018) engaged 10 Bedouin veterans, using thematic content analysis to uncover the primary themes. In addition, the authors also considered the insights from the interviews with Bedouin therapists. It is reported that veterans most commonly struggle with social acceptance and belonging due to mental health issues. These findings are consistent with the focus group study by Bennett et al. (2013), who suggested similar tendencies based on the grounded theory analysis of 20 ethnographic interviews.
Quantitative Research Methodologies
Quantitative methodologies are used to analyze the epidemiological trends in opioid misuse among U.S. veterans and the behavior patterns in patients with various comorbidities (Hudson et al., 2017). A higher number of studies involve ethnic minority veterans in their investigations; covariance analyses, logistic regression, and significance tests are the most well-recognized methods for this research (Burgess et al., 2014; Rhee & Rosenheck, 2019). As such, Rhee and Rosenheck (2019) analyzed the opioid use disorder (OUD) trends among male veterans to establish the differences in disorder rates based on demographic information, comorbidity presence, and the overall quality of life. Using statistical significance and bivariate regression on the data from National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions-III, the authors established that OUD is most frequently associated with lower education levels and ethnic minority status (Rhee & Rosenheck, 2019).
Retrospective cohort studies are frequently performed to outline the impact of opioid misuse on veteran populations. Examinations by Burgess et al. (2014), Essien et al. (2020), Hudson et al. (2017), and Yajnik et al. (2019), which were conducted using statistical analysis data tests, revealed that veterans could be severely affected by opioid treatment due to the possibility of medication misuse. Although the data were gathered from various sources, such as patient sampling in Essien et al.’s (2020) and Yajnik et al.’s (2019) studies and national data in Burgess et al.’s (2014) and Hudson et al.’s (2017) research, the negative ramifications were evident in all the findings. However, among the mentioned articles, only Essien et al. (2020) demonstrated that no disparities in opioid prescription rates are evident among various minority veteran groups.
In contrast, a systematic literature review by Tam et al. (2020) suggested that most research on ethnic minority veterans reveals a different tendency. The authors examined 17 empirical articles, analyzed the presented statistics, and identified veterans as, most prominent opioid misuse factors. The findings from 3 studies suggest that white veteran populations are more likely to report opioid misuse. However, it is also noted that the overall results on the association between opioid misuse and ethnicity belonging to veterans are mixed.
Delphi Study Approach
Another research method in this area is the Delphi study approach, which allows gathering the opinions of professionals working with veterans (Merlin et al., 2018). For instance, Merlin et al. (2018) and Yajnik et al. (2019) implemented the current approach to gain professional insights regarding veteran pain management and the decrease in opioid use, while Birtles (2017) investigated the effects of PTG as perceived by experts. While Birtles (2017) and Merlin et al. (2018) gathered the scholarly opinions of 42 and 26 participants, respectively, Yajnik et al. (2019) used this approach to devise materials to be distributed to the participants. In the study by Merlin et al. (2018), the experts have established that education is the most prominent approach for battling opioid misuse among veterans. However, Birtles (2017) claimed that the PTG intervention was outlined as the most famous method.
Cultural Issues
Following the examination of the primary methodologies used by the scholars, I assessed the cultural issues related to opioid misuse within the veteran community as suggested by academic literature. As such, Rudd et al. (2011) reported that, among veterans, people of various ages and social backgrounds are exposed to opioid medication misuse and overdose threats. Importantly, young adults are more susceptible to mental comorbidities and suicidality due to opioid dependency (Rudd et al., 2011). Also, people who previously had SUDs are at a higher risk of developing an opioid addiction (SAMHSA, 2018). Minority veterans can also encounter various substance abuse issues due to social pressure and stereotypes. Moreover, veterans from ethnic minorities are more severely affected by opioid misuse due to a decreased quality of life (Goetter & Blackburn, 2019).
Individuals involved in military work professionally constitute a culturally specific subgroup. Recent research studies have reported that minority veterans consistently report adaptability, social acceptance, and group belonging (Rudd et al., 2011). In addition, this population’s rates of PTSD and anxiety increase when opioid treatment has been initiated (Waters, 2021). In this regard, opioid misuse and the absence of culturally respective support might result in diverse adverse outcomes for the individuals in question. Considering the existing scholarly evidence related to opioid misuse, interventions for opioid misuse, veterans, and ethnically diverse populations, I devised a study plan that allows me to investigate these issues.
Study Plan
To increase my knowledge on the topic, I have taken PLAN 629: Negotiation and Conflict Resolution, PH 660: Application of P.H. Skills, PSY 676: Psychopathology, and SW 680: Systematic Review courses. The Psychopathology course allowed me to gain an insight into the nature of mental disorders, thus enhancing my understanding of substance abuse. The Systematic Review course was beneficial while developing the specialization plan, as it improved my proficiency in research analysis and synthesis, enabling me to appraise the evidence’s quality. The PLAN 629 course focused on the negotiation process and its value for conflict prevention. Given that this specialization plan is directed towards various issues encountered by a distinct social group, this course was significant for my future study on the problem. The Application of Public Health Skills was another vital class for my education, which allowed me to strengthen my social work and public health competencies.
List of Specialization Courses and Timeline of Completion
The following courses related to my Specialization Plan were completed:
- PLAN 629: Negotiation and Conflict Resolution (Summer 2020)
- PH 660: Application of P.H. Skills (Spring 2021)
- PSY 676: Psychopathology (Spring 2021)
- SW 680: Systematic Review (Fall 2020)
Initial Thoughts on Dissertation Proposal
Considering the presented evidence, the PTG method has been suggested as an appropriate intervention strategy for reducing the negative impact of opioid medicine and promoting minority veterans’ welfare (Smith, 2021). PTG is the process of positive psychological change that follows traumatic experiences and facilitates recovery (Blevins, 2019). Nonetheless, the viability and success rates of PTG in veteran minority populations are still to be identified. While an abundance of studies focuses on the harmful impact of the opioid epidemic on the veteran population, only a few studies provide data concerning the well-being of veterans belonging to ethnic minorities (Coleman et al., 2018). Given the detrimental effects of opioid misuse, literature explorations could be utilized to address this issue. The current study proposes a potential strategy to alleviate the negative impact of the opioid epidemic on veterans from ethnic minorities.
The questions related to the military culture and veterans include the information on the predisposition of veterans to seeking therapy treatment. Also, it is required to clarify what specific factors contribute to minority veterans’ tendency to misuse substances, including the impact of ethnic minority belonging. The data on standard methods of pain management other than medications need to be collected. This information will contribute to the researcher’s cultural awareness and facilitate the process of participant recruitment.
A Delphi study method could be a prominent strategy for gaining vital insight from professionals in veteran treatment. Such research might especially promote the development of the social work sphere, compelling the government authorities to direct their attention towards the minority veterans’ well-being. It may also positively impact areas within the social work field, for example, military social work and ethnicity-oriented social work.
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