Robert Pietrzak, PhD, MPH
DownloadHi-Res Photo
Cards
Appointments
Psychiatry
Primary
Social and Behavioral Sciences
Secondary
Titles
Director, Translational Psychiatric Epidemiology Laboratory, Clinical Neurosciences Division, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs National Center for PTSD
Contact Info
Psychiatry
National Center for PTSD, VA Connecticut Healthcare System
West Haven, CT 06516
United States
Appointments
Psychiatry
Primary
Social and Behavioral Sciences
Secondary
Titles
Director, Translational Psychiatric Epidemiology Laboratory, Clinical Neurosciences Division, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs National Center for PTSD
Contact Info
Psychiatry
National Center for PTSD, VA Connecticut Healthcare System
West Haven, CT 06516
United States
Appointments
Psychiatry
Primary
Social and Behavioral Sciences
Secondary
Titles
Director, Translational Psychiatric Epidemiology Laboratory, Clinical Neurosciences Division, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs National Center for PTSD
Contact Info
Psychiatry
National Center for PTSD, VA Connecticut Healthcare System
West Haven, CT 06516
United States
About
Titles
Professor of Psychiatry and of Public Health (Social and Behavioral Sciences)
Director, Translational Psychiatric Epidemiology Laboratory, Clinical Neurosciences Division, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs National Center for PTSDBiography
Robert H. Pietrzak completed a B.A. in Psychology at Clark University, and M.P.H. in Epidemiology and Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology with specialization in Clinical Neuropsychology at the University of Connecticut. Dr. Pietrzak is Director of the Translational Psychiatric Epidemiology Laboratory in the Clinical Neurosciences Division of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs National Center for PTSD and Professor of Psychiatry at Yale University School of Medicine and Professor of Public Health (Social and Behavioral Sciences) at Yale School of Public Health. His primary research interests include the psychosocial and genetic epidemiology of traumatic stress and resilience across the lifespan; dimensional models of stress-related psychopathology; and the effect of stress on cognition.
Appointments
Psychiatry
ProfessorPrimarySocial and Behavioral Sciences
ProfessorSecondary
Other Departments & Organizations
Education & Training
- Fellowship in Clinical Neuropsychology
- Gaylord Specialty Healthcare (2010)
- PhD
- University of Connecticut (2008)
- Internship in Clinical Psychology
- VA Connecticut Healthcare System-West Haven (2008)
- MPH
- University of Connecticut, Epidemiology (2003)
- BA
- Clark University, Psychology and Neuroscience (2001)
Research
Overview
"Risk and Resilience Factors in Iraq Combat Veterans" - This study aims to improve understanding of the needs, symptoms, and strengths of Connecticut OIF/OEF Veterans.
"Mental Health, Resilience, and Soldier's Perceptions about Psychotherapy, Medication, and Barriers to Care in the U.S. Military" - This study aims to determine characteristics that differentiate symptomatic soldiers who seek mental health treatment and symptomatic soldiers who do not seek professional mental health treatment.
"National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study" - The purpose of this NCPTSD-funded study is to characterize genetic, environmental, and gene x environmental determinants of longitudinal trajectories of posttraumatic stress disorder and related mental health outcomes in a nationally representative sample of U.S. veterans.
"Trajectories of Psychological Risk and Resilience in World Trade Center Responders" - This CDC/NIOSH-funded study aims to characterize the nature and correlates of trajectories of posttraumatic stress symptoms of a large cohort of World Trade Center responders.
"Biomarkers of Psychological Risk and Resilience in World Trade Center Responders" - This CDC/NIOSH-funded study aims to examine genetic, epigenetic, and neuroendocrine factors associated with posttraumatic stress disorder in World Trade Center responders.
Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)
Anxiety Disorders; Resilience, Psychological; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic; Stress Disorders, Traumatic
Research at a Glance
Yale Co-Authors
Frequent collaborators of Robert Pietrzak's published research.
Publications Timeline
A big-picture view of Robert Pietrzak's research output by year.
Research Interests
Research topics Robert Pietrzak is interested in exploring.
Jack Tsai
Peter Jongho Na, MD, MPH
Ilan Harpaz-Rotem, PhD, ABPP
John Krystal, MD
Irina Esterlis, PhD
Joel Gelernter, MD
140Publications
1,607Citations
Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic
Resilience, Psychological
Anxiety Disorders
Publications
Unraveling PTSD: Symptom Cluster Change During and 1 Year After Veterans’ Residential PTSD Treatment
Gross G, Spiller T, Ben-Zion Z, Rubenstein A, Pietrzak R, Duek O, Hoff R, Harpaz-Rotem I. Unraveling PTSD: Symptom Cluster Change During and 1 Year After Veterans’ Residential PTSD Treatment. Psychological Trauma Theory Research Practice And Policy 2024 PMID: 38990694, DOI: 10.1037/tra0001734.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetricConceptsPosttraumatic stress disorderPosttraumatic stress disorder symptom clustersPosttraumatic stress disorder clustersSymptom clustersIntrusive symptomsResidential treatmentTreatment of posttraumatic stress disorderPosttraumatic stress disorder symptomsResidential PTSD treatmentPTSD symptom clustersNovel treatment interventionsDifferential treatment responseReduce symptom severityDifferential patterns of changeAvoidance symptomsPTSD treatmentTreatment gainsStress disorderVeterans AffairsSymptom severityCluster CTreatment interventionsCluster BIndividual symptomsCohort of veteransA Brief Report of Lung Cancer Screening Utilization Prior to, During, and in the Later Stages of the COVID-19 Pandemic in the United States
Poghosyan H, Sarkar S, Richman I, Pietrzak R, Carter-Bawa L, Cooley M. A Brief Report of Lung Cancer Screening Utilization Prior to, During, and in the Later Stages of the COVID-19 Pandemic in the United States. JTO Clinical And Research Reports 2024, 100705. DOI: 10.1016/j.jtocrr.2024.100705.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsLung cancer screeningLung cancer screening utilizationScreening utilizationBehavioral Risk Factor Surveillance SystemRates of lung cancer screeningRisk Factor Surveillance SystemScreening-eligible individualsCancer screening utilizationLung cancer burdenPopulation-based dataMultivariate logistic regressionCancer screeningCancer burdenImpact healthcareNational ratesIncreased oddsLogistic regressionNationwide effortSurveillance systemCOVID-19COVID-19 pandemicLung diseaseBrief reportNo sex differencesUnited StatesBarriers to Mental Health Care in US Military Veterans
Lewis C, Fischer I, Tsai J, Harpaz-Rotem I, Pietrzak R. Barriers to Mental Health Care in US Military Veterans. Psychiatric Quarterly 2024, 1-17. PMID: 38940875, DOI: 10.1007/s11126-024-10078-7.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsMental health careMental health treatmentHealth careHealth treatmentReduce barriersUS veteransNegative beliefsInstrumental barriersNational Health and ResiliencePromote engagementMental health servicesPopulation-based effortsUS military veteransNationally representative dataMultivariate logistic regressionPerceived stigmaHealth servicesSocial supportPsychiatric needsVeterans StudyPractical barriersLow purposeConclusionsNearly halfMilitary veteransCareMaladaptive Health Factors as Potential Mediators for the Association Between Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Cardiovascular Disease: A Sex-Stratified Analysis in the U.S. Adult Population
Pierce S, Reynolds K, Sommer J, El-Gabalawy R, Pietrzak R, Sumner J, Mota N. Maladaptive Health Factors as Potential Mediators for the Association Between Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Cardiovascular Disease: A Sex-Stratified Analysis in the U.S. Adult Population. Journal Of Psychiatric Research 2024, 177: 102-108. PMID: 39002531, DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2024.06.028.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsHealth risk factorsPosttraumatic stress disorderRisk factorsPotential mediatorsCardiovascular diseaseLow physical activityCross-sectional surveyNatural effect modelsSex-stratified analysesU.S. adult populationCardiovascular disease riskStress disorderPhysical activityNational Epidemiologic SurveyLogistic regression analysisHealth factorsEvaluate health risk factorsU.S. adultsHigher BMICausal pathwaysPrevention strategiesEffects of posttraumatic stress disorderWave 3Adult populationSubstance useHealth correlates of experiential and behavioral avoidance among trauma-exposed veterans
Schwartz E, Palmisano A, Petrakis I, Pietrzak R, Sofuoglu M. Health correlates of experiential and behavioral avoidance among trauma-exposed veterans. Journal Of Psychiatric Research 2024, 176: 213-217. PMID: 38878649, DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2024.06.014.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsTrauma-exposed veteransExperiential avoidanceBehavioral avoidanceAnxiety symptomsDepressive symptomsMental health outcomesCognitive dysfunctionPhysical healthPhysical health outcomesHealth outcomesQuality of lifeHealth-related dysfunctionTrauma historyPsychosocial functioningCognitive functionAvoidance behaviorOutcome measuresHealth-related quality of lifeTreatment targetDistressExploratory analysisVeteransHealth-related qualityAvoidanceAnxietyPosttraumatic stress disorder and insomnia in US military veterans: Prevalence, correlates, and psychiatric and functional burden
Georgescu M, Fischer I, Beydoun M, McCarthy E, DeViva J, Pietrzak R. Posttraumatic stress disorder and insomnia in US military veterans: Prevalence, correlates, and psychiatric and functional burden. Journal Of Sleep Research 2024, e14269. PMID: 38845413, DOI: 10.1111/jsr.14269.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetricConceptsPosttraumatic stress disorderStress disorderMilitary veteransInsomnia groupCo-occurring posttraumatic stress disorderBurden of PTSDTreating posttraumatic stress disorderClinical management of insomniaRates of psychiatric conditionsGeneralized anxiety disorderCurrent suicidal ideationMitigate suicide riskUS veteransManagement of insomniaUS military veteransMental health burdenFunctional burdenAnxiety disordersDepressive disorderSuicidal ideationSuicide riskPsychiatric conditionsPsychosocial functioningSocial functioningInsomniaSuicide-Specific Cognitions and Suicidal Behavior in U.S. Military Veterans
Fischer I, Nichter B, Trachik B, Bryan C, Pietrzak R. Suicide-Specific Cognitions and Suicidal Behavior in U.S. Military Veterans. Psychiatry 2024, ahead-of-print: 1-10. PMID: 38832675, DOI: 10.1080/00332747.2024.2352883.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSuicide-specific cognitionsU.S. military veteransMilitary veteransSuicidal ideationSuicide planLifetime history of suicide attemptsHistory of suicide attemptsAssociated with suicidal ideationSuicide Cognitions ScaleDepressive symptom severityThoughts of suicideMitigate suicide riskB-SCSAdverse childhood experiencesExploratory post hoc analysisSuicidal behaviorLifetime historySuicide riskSuicide attemptsSymptom severitySuicidal thoughtsCognitive scalesIndicator of riskChildhood experiencesIntervention effortsHelping the Helpers: Mental Health Challenges of Psychosocial Support Workers During the Russian-Ukrainian War
Kang H, Fischer I, Esterlis I, Kolyshkina A, Ponomarenko L, Chobanian A, Vus V, Pietrzak R. Helping the Helpers: Mental Health Challenges of Psychosocial Support Workers During the Russian-Ukrainian War. Disaster Medicine And Public Health Preparedness 2024, 18: e95. PMID: 38829179, DOI: 10.1017/dmp.2024.68.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsPsychosocial support workersPosttraumatic stress disorderAssociated with greater oddsPresence of meaning in lifeMeaning in lifeSuicidal ideationMental health challengesGreater oddsMental healthLow optimismSupport workersHealth challengesMental health problemsCorrelates of burnoutPromote social connectednessStress disorderPsychosocial characteristicsGreater distressWar exposureGeneral populationHealth problemsSocial connectednessBurnoutOddsSocial relationshipsObstructive Respiratory Disease in U.S. Veterans: Prevalence, Characteristics, and Health Burden
Bamonti P, Fischer I, Moye J, Poghosyan H, Pietrzak R. Obstructive Respiratory Disease in U.S. Veterans: Prevalence, Characteristics, and Health Burden. Journal Of Psychiatric Research 2024, 176: 140-147. PMID: 38857555, DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2024.05.053.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsPhysical health burdenNationally representative sampleU.S. veteransObstructive respiratory diseaseHealth burdenRepresentative sampleNational Health and ResiliencePhysical health characteristicsRespiratory diseaseSecondary data analysisSevere somatic symptomsHealth characteristicsVA healthcareVeterans StudyTrauma burdenLow-incomeSomatic symptomsPosttraumatic stressMultivariate regression analysisVeteransMedical conditionsCurrent suicidal ideationGeneralized anxiety disorderMedical comorbiditiesNicotine use disorderCo-occurring Chronic Pain and PTSD Among US Military Veterans: Prevalence, Correlates, and Functioning
Reed D, Fischer I, Williams R, Na P, Pietrzak R. Co-occurring Chronic Pain and PTSD Among US Military Veterans: Prevalence, Correlates, and Functioning. Journal Of General Internal Medicine 2024, 1-8. PMID: 38780882, DOI: 10.1007/s11606-024-08803-w.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetricConceptsCo-occurring chronic painNationally representative sampleChronic painPosttraumatic stress disorderPsychosocial functioningUS veteransPatient Health Questionnaire-4Representative sampleShort-Form Health Survey-8Prevalence of chronic painNational Health and ResilienceAlcohol Use Disorders Identification TestChronic pain diagnosesDiagnosis of chronic painDisorders Identification TestCognitive Functioning ScaleMeasures of psychosocial functioningUS military veteransSelf-report itemsPosttraumatic Stress Disorder ChecklistHealth careVeterans StudyPain diagnosisFunctional scalesSuicidal Behaviors Questionnaire-Revised
Clinical Trials
Current Trials
Have you had COVID-19?
HIC ID2000033404RoleSub InvestigatorPrimary Completion Date08/31/2025Recruiting ParticipantsStudying the Adult Brain
HIC ID2000025671RoleSub InvestigatorPrimary Completion Date07/31/2025Recruiting ParticipantsImaging SV2A in mood disorders
HIC ID1511016789RoleSub InvestigatorPrimary Completion Date03/15/2022Recruiting ParticipantsGenderBothAge18 years - 70 years
Academic Achievements and Community Involvement
activity Member
Professional OrganizationsPsychological Injury and LawDetails11/01/2014 - PresentDescriptionEditorial Boardactivity Member
Professional OrganizationsJournal of Anxiety DisordersDetails08/10/2015 - PresentDescriptionEditorial Boardactivity Board Member
Professional OrganizationsPLoS OneDetails09/07/2018 - PresentDescriptionEditorial Boardhonor Outstanding Contributions to the Science of Trauma Psychology
National AwardAmerican Psychological AssociationDetails07/20/2022United Stateshonor 2022 Paul Wender Best Paper Award
National AwardAmerican Society of Clinical PsychopharmacologyDetails03/24/2022United States
Links & Media
News
- July 02, 2024
Na Chosen to Receive VA Career Development Award
- July 01, 2024
Sellinger, Pietrzak Honored by VA Connecticut Healthcare System
- February 06, 2024
Study Sheds Light on Genetic and Environmental Risk Factors for Opioid Use Disorder
- January 29, 2024Source: Physician's Weekly
Firearm storage practices among military veterans in the United States: Findings from a nationally representative survey.
Get In Touch
Contacts
Mailing Address
Psychiatry
National Center for PTSD, VA Connecticut Healthcare System
West Haven, CT 06516
United States