1. OEF/OIF/OND Veterans and the Integrative Health and Wellness (IHW) Program Rena “Liz” Courtney, B. A., Stephanie Brooks-Holliday, Ph.D, Amanda Hull, PhD, Christine Eickhoff, M.A., Patrick Sullivan, M.S., Matthew Reinhard, PsyD, War Related Illness and Injury Study Center, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Washington, DC Results OEF/OIF/OND veterans reported more depressive symptoms compared to OEF/OIF/OND veterans (p=.02) OEF/OIF/OND veterans attended more individual acupuncture sessions compared to non- OEF/OIF/OND veterans (49028&, 23.57% respectively) Looking at veterans that attended at least one class, OEF/OIF/OND veterans attended significantly fewer group acupuncture and iRest Yoga Nidra classes than non-OEF/OIF/OND veterans There was no significant relationship between the number and severity of symptoms and how many classes the OEF/OIF/OND attended. Discussion On average, OEF/OIF/OND veterans reported more depressive symptoms than non-OEF/OIF/OND veterans. OEF/OIF/OND veterans were also more likely than those that did not serve during the OEF/OIF/OND era to go to individual acupuncture sessions, but less likely to go to one group acupuncture or iRest Yoga Nidra session than veterans from other war eras. This may be due to veterans preferring individual services to group services, though this remains unclear. The results from this study do suggest, however, that veterans that have recently returned from deployments to Iraq and Afghanestan are interested in acupuncture. Future research should focus on how CIM services, specifically acupuncture which OEF/OIF/OND veterans are more likely to attend, impact the symptoms of OEF/OIF/OND veterans versus non-OEF/OIF/OND veterans over time. Contact Information Rena “Liz Courtneyrena.courtney@va.gov Research Assistant WRIISC Washington DC VA Medical Center Program Participants 226 veterans referred to the IHW Program 69 participants were OEF/OIF/OND veterans Average age= 40.66 Most veterans were male (66.67%) Most veterans were African American (43.48%) All participants identified pain or mental health related issues as their primary health concerns Procedure Veterans were referred to the IHW Program by their provider and attended an orientation session. If the veteran showed interest in research they were asked to sign an informed consent form and to fill out the following assessments: Beck Depression Inventory, Second Edition (BDI-II)) Defense and Veteran Pain Rating Scale (DVPRS) Pain Disability Questionnaire (PDQ) Insomnia Severity Scale (ISS) Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) Abstract The War-Related Illness and Injury Study Center (WRIISC) at the Washington DC VA Medical Center currently offers Complementary and Integrative Services (CIM) to veterans from all war eras. The current study was conducted to explore the physical and mental health of OEF/OIF/OND veterans participating in the Integrative Health and Wellness (IHW) Program, as well as to show how often OEF/OIF/OND veterans were attending CIM classes. Results showed OEF/OIF/OND veterans reported significantly more depressive symptoms than other war eras. OEF/OIF/OND veterans attended significantly more individual acupuncture sessions, but less group acupuncture and iRest Yoga Nidra classes than other war era veterans. There was no significant relationship between physical and mental health symptoms and group attendance. Background The Department of Veteran Affairs has increasingly been focused on how CIM services and how they can improve the overall wellbeing of veterans from all war eras. Previous studies have shown that CIM services within the IHW Program have been mostly used by white veterans with more than 12 years of education, those that do not abuse tobacco and alcohol and experience a high level of stress. However, studies have not yet shown the differences between veterans on the basis of variable related to their military service within the IHW Program. Studies have also shown that Gulf War Veterans typically suffer from pain syndromes, chronic fatigue, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), anxiety and depression. CIM services have been shown to be effective in reducing symptoms of the above mentioned syndromes and disorders. Therefore, this study aimed to: Determine the characteristics of OEF/OIF/OND era veterans participating in the IHW Program versus veterans from other conflict eras Investigate their physical and mental health at the time they entered the program Determine which CIM services OEF/OIF/OND veterans attended compared to those from other war eras Consult IHW Orientation CIM Services