• Bella Etingen, Kathleen M Grubbs, and Juliette M Harik.
• Research Health Scientist, Center of Innovation for Complex Chronic Healthcare (CINCCH), Health Services Research & Development Service, US Department of Veterans Affairs, Hines VA Hospital, 5000 South 5th Avenue, Hines, IL, 60141.
• Mil Med. 2020 Jan 7; 185 (Suppl 1): 303-310.

IntroductionMental health treatment utilization among persons with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) tends to be low but may be improved by aligning treatment with patient preferences. Our objective was to characterize the reasons that drive a person's selection of a specific evidence-based PTSD treatment.Materials And MethodsData were collected using an online survey of adults who screened positive for PTSD. Participants viewed descriptions of five evidence-based PTSD treatments (cognitive processing therapy, prolonged exposure, eye movement desensitization and reprocessing, stress inoculation training, antidepressant medication) and identified their most preferred treatment. Participants then explained why they selected their top choice. These free-text responses (n = 249) were analyzed using thematic coding and constant comparative methods.ResultsIdentified themes included (1) perceived effectiveness, (2) perceived suitability, (3) requirements of participation, (4) familiarity with the modality, (5) perception of the option as 'better than alternatives,' (6) perception of the option as 'not harmful,' (7) accessibility, and (8) delivery format. Differences in themes were also examined by treatment modality.ConclusionsBy highlighting which pieces of information may be most important to detail when presenting different treatment options, these results can help guide treatment planning conversations, as well as the development of shared decision-making tools.© Association of Military Surgeons of the United States 2020. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

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