Westermeyer, Joseph, M.D., Ph.D.

PSYCHIATRY/EPIDEMIOLOGY

Dr. Westermeyer is co-PI on a five-year NIH study on the epidemiology of psychiatric disorder and psychosocial adaptation/maladaptation among East African refugees. This study is currently in its last year. Data on the two large ethnic groups have already been collected. Dr. Westermeyer and three other investigators are now conducting structured psychiatric interviews on a selected sub-sample of 200 subjects (100 who have been tortured and 100 who have not). With co-investigators, he is also analyzing and preparing for publication data on a study of 1,814+ American Indian and Hispanic American veterans in Minnesota and New Mexico. Other continuing studies with colleagues include the following: • Descriptive study of patients with co-morbid substance disorder and other conditions • A life-charting method for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder • Use of actigraphy to assess sleep complaints in patients with PTSD funded by Minnesota Medical Foundation.