Understanding women veterans' experiences with and management of weight gain from medications for serious mental illness: A qualitative study.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

More women veterans than men use Veterans Health Administration (VHA) mental health services. Some psychiatric medications are associated with weight gain and other metabolic side effects, with women more susceptible and reporting more distress than men. We sought to explore how women experience and manage medication-induced weight gain to identify strategies for improving its prevention and management in women.

Method

We completed semistructured, qualitative interviews with 30 female veterans with serious mental illnesses prescribed antipsychotic or mood stabilizer medications and 18 mental health prescribers. Interview transcripts were summarized and coded via principles of phenomenological inquiry to develop themes reflecting the study purpose.

Results

We

SUBMITTER: Kreyenbuhl J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11825350 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature