Opinion: Traumatic stress-related health issues likely to rise due to U.S. actions
Decisions made by the current U.S. administration could lead to more traumatic stress-related mental and physical health issues across the world, as well as disrupt research and practice in the field of traumatic stress, according to Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health’s Karestan Koenen and colleagues.
Koenen, professor of psychiatric epidemiology, was among 44 co-authors of a May 8 editorial on the topic in the European Journal of Psychotraumatology. The editorial outlined Trump administration decisions that are already leading to negative health impacts related to traumatic stress, and could do more damage in the future. “The fallout for science and humanity may be profound,” they wrote.
For example, they noted that the termination of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)—which has delivered food and health programs, disaster relief, and socioeconomic development support to low- and middle-income countries—“has led to unnecessary suffering and uncertainty for those already vulnerable. Another blow was the U.S. withdrawal from the World Health Organization (WHO), which has worked to reduce traumatic stress through activities such as providing treatment guidelines for trauma-related disorders and creating a repository of training materials for clinicians.
In the U.S., there have been layoffs and funding cuts at agencies that provide health services for vulnerable populations. Federal employees and contractors who work at these agencies have reported symptoms such as anxiety, fear, and a sense of betrayal. For patients served by the agencies, the changes are likely to mean poorer access to care and longer waits to receive it.
Trauma research is also being affected by grant terminations, delays in grant reviews, and funding slowdowns. Particular targets for cancellation are grants addressing violence in marginalized communities. Research at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)—which the co-authors say “has been one of the most prolific producers of methodologically rigorous and innovative research on traumatic stress and related physical and mental health difficulties”—is also under threat.
“Instead of being a beacon of light and a leading innovator in biopsychosocial research and care, the U.S. administration is turning its vision away from funding science and public health and is turning its back on the rest of the world,” the co-authors wrote. “We hope that the U.S. administration chooses to reengage in traumatic stress research and global activities, and to once again play its critical global role in mitigating the effects of trauma during times of crisis and advancing the science of traumatic stress.”
Read the editorial
Experts in traumatic stress and concerned about global impact of what is happening in U.S.
