First-of-its-kind study will examine beliefs about confidentiality in disclosing moral injury

Veterans currently living at Parkwood Institute will be participating in a first-of-its-kind study by researchers from Lawson Health Research Institute. The study will be the first to explore Canadian veterans’ beliefs about confidentiality in mental health care and whether those beliefs act as a barrier to seeking treatment for a type of trauma known as moral injury.

Moral injury describes psychological distress following events where a person performs, witnesses or fails to prevent acts that conflict with deeply held moral standards. Evidence suggests that moral injuries are on the rise among deployed members of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), and that those exposed to such events are at a higher risk of developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression.

Through the study, researchers aim to understand barriers that might prevent military personnel from disclosing details of moral injury.

Read the full story from Lawson Health Research Institute.