Eggers, Thomasine2019-03-132019-03-132018-12https://hdl.handle.net/11299/202092University of Minnesota M.A. thesis. December 2018. Major: Bioethics. Advisor: Steven Miles. 1 computer file (PDF); iii, 95 pages.This paper will specifically address processes that may create an arduous evidentiary burden that female veterans must meet in order to qualify for disability compensation benefits; notably more difficult burden of proof than their male counterparts (Schingle, 2009). Also addressed is the impact of cultural and gender competence and sensitivity on barriers to care for this particular subset of the veteran population. As women continue to serve in the military in increasing numbers, and as the roles expand to include those previously held by men, there is a great need for a better understanding of the stressors that women veterans face and how these stressors impact their lives and the lives of their families after deployment. Although MST affects both men and women, the foci of this work will be on women, as women are the majority of victims of sexual assault. If women are not diagnosed and compensated at similar rates as men -where warranted- this discrepancy can lead to poverty, drug and alcohol abuse, homelessness, despair, and even suicide. This paper will address gaps between the progress made at VHA so far, with suggestions for improving barriers to health care and mental health treatment for women.encompensationdiagnosisdisparitiesmilitary sexual assaultveteranswomenThesis or Dissertation