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International Maritime Health 2019The aim of the present article is to provide an update on recent research on stress, fatigue and wellbeing and discuss the implications for naval personnel. There is now... (Review)
Review
The aim of the present article is to provide an update on recent research on stress, fatigue and wellbeing and discuss the implications for naval personnel. There is now considerable information on these topics in onshore civilian populations and some research on seafarers and other military personnel. This generic information can now be used to address these issues in naval personnel. In order to do this there is a need to consider specific naval contexts and to collect data to confirm the applicability of established methods and models to the navy.
Topics: Fatigue; Health Status; Humans; Military Personnel; Naval Medicine; Occupational Health; Occupational Stress
PubMed: 31237674
DOI: 10.5603/IMH.2019.0021 -
BMC Health Services Research Oct 2020Awareness of domestic violence and abuse (DVA) as a problem among military personnel (serving and veterans) has grown in recent years, and there is a need for research...
BACKGROUND
Awareness of domestic violence and abuse (DVA) as a problem among military personnel (serving and veterans) has grown in recent years, and there is a need for research to inform improvements in the identification of and response to DVA in this population. This study aimed to explore the experience of health and welfare professionals in identifying and responding to DVA among the UK military population (serving personnel and veterans).
METHODS
Thirty-five semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted with health and welfare staff who work with serving UK military personnel and veterans. Interviews were analysed using thematic analysis.
RESULTS
Three superordinate themes were identified: i) patterns of DVA observed by health and welfare workers (perceived gender differences in DVA experiences and role of mental health and alcohol); (ii) barriers to identification of and response to DVA (attitudinal/knowledge-based barriers and practical barriers), and iii) resource issues (training needs and access to services). Participants discussed how factors such as a culture of hypermasculinity, under-reporting of DVA, the perception of DVA as a "private matter" among military personnel, and lack of knowledge and awareness of emotional abuse and coercive controlling behaviour as abuse constitute barriers to identification and management of DVA. Healthcare providers highlighted the need for more integrated working between civilian and military services, to increase access to support and provide effective care to both victims and perpetrators. Furthermore, healthcare and welfare staff reflected on their training needs in the screening and management of DVA to improve practice.
CONCLUSIONS
There is a need for increased awareness of DVA, particularly of non-physical forms of abuse, and of male victimisation in the military. Standardised protocols for DVA management and systematic training are required to promote a consistent and appropriate response to DVA. There is a particular training need among healthcare and first-line welfare staff, who are largely relied upon to identify cases of DVA in the military. Employing DVA advocates within military and civilian healthcare settings may be useful in improving DVA awareness, management and access to specialist support.
Topics: Adult; Domestic Violence; Female; Health Personnel; Humans; Male; Military Personnel; Qualitative Research; Social Workers; United Kingdom; Veterans
PubMed: 33059688
DOI: 10.1186/s12913-020-05672-x -
Military Medicine Aug 2023Military personnel and their families face biopsychosocial risk factors due to frequent deployments, long and dangerous assignments, being away from home, not being able...
INTRODUCTION
Military personnel and their families face biopsychosocial risk factors due to frequent deployments, long and dangerous assignments, being away from home, not being able to spend time with their family, and adaptation to family life after returning from duty. These risks are among the factors affecting the marital satisfaction of military families.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Our study population consists of 6 military spouses selected by the maximum sampling method, which the researchers reached using their resources. The research was conducted in Van Province between January and February 2021. The semi-structured interview form prepared by the researchers was used in the research designed with the qualitative research method. During the interviews, audio was recorded and transcribed.
RESULTS
With the findings obtained from the interviews, subthemes were formed by considering similar expressions used by the participants regarding their opinions under the main themes. The main themes that emerged in the research were the experience of being married to a soldier, relational satisfaction, the effect of duties on the relationship, and perception of social context. Considering all the results, it has been revealed that alongside long-term and far-from-home assignments due to the nature of military service, the military lifestyle determines the marital satisfaction of military spouses. Accordingly, it was observed that military spouses and families must be supported during the soldiers' duties and complicated professional processes.
CONCLUSIONS
This study reveals that long-term and far-from-home assignments due to military service impact the marital satisfaction. Accordingly, it was observed that military spouses and families must be supported during the soldiers' duties and complicated professional processes.
Topics: Humans; Military Personnel; Spouses; Turkey; Marriage; Personal Satisfaction
PubMed: 37208315
DOI: 10.1093/milmed/usad184 -
Military Medicine May 2018The text is adapted from a written transcript of the address to the US Air Force Chaplain Corps Summit, delivered by Tyler J. VanderWeele, on March 28, 2017 in San...
The text is adapted from a written transcript of the address to the US Air Force Chaplain Corps Summit, delivered by Tyler J. VanderWeele, on March 28, 2017 in San Antonio, Texas. The address discussed rigorous empirical research on how religious participation and religious community are related to a number of health and well-being outcomes, along with the mechanisms behind these associations, and the implications of such religion health research to military chaplains, and to society more broadly.
Topics: Clergy; Humans; Military Medicine; Military Personnel; Spirituality
PubMed: 29584871
DOI: 10.1093/milmed/usx206 -
Epidemiologic Reviews 2015Since 2001, the US military has increasingly relied on National Guard and reserve component forces to meet operational demands. Differences in preparation and military... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
Since 2001, the US military has increasingly relied on National Guard and reserve component forces to meet operational demands. Differences in preparation and military engagement experiences between active component and reserve component forces have long suggested that the psychiatric consequences of military engagement differ by component. We conducted a systematic review of prevalence and new onset of psychiatric disorders among reserve component forces and a meta-analysis of prevalence estimates comparing reserve component and active component forces, and we documented stage-sequential drivers of psychiatric burden among reserve component forces. We identified 27 reports from 19 unique samples published between 1985 and 2012: 9 studies reporting on the reserve component alone and 10 reporting on both the reserve component and the active component. The pooled prevalence for alcohol use disorders of 14.5% (95% confidence interval: 12.7, 15.2) among the reserve component was higher than that of 11.7% (95% confidence interval: 10.9, 12.6) among the active component, while there were no component differences for depression or post-traumatic stress disorder. We observed substantial heterogeneity in prevalence estimates reported by the reserve component. Published studies suggest that stage-sequential risk factors throughout the deployment cycle predicted alcohol use disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder and, to a lesser degree, depression. Improved and more standardized documentation of the mental health burden, as well as study of explanatory factors within a life-course framework, is necessary to inform mitigating strategies and to reduce psychiatric burden among reserve component forces.
Topics: Humans; Mental Disorders; Mental Health; Military Personnel; Models, Statistical; Prevalence; Risk Factors; United States; Veterans; Veterans Health
PubMed: 25595172
DOI: 10.1093/epirev/mxu007 -
European Journal of Psychotraumatology 2021: The mental health burden of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is high in U.S. military samples. Social support is one of the most robust protective factors against... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
: The mental health burden of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is high in U.S. military samples. Social support is one of the most robust protective factors against PTSD and a recent meta-analysis indicates that this relationship is even stronger in military samples compared to civilian samples. Yet no meta-analyses have explored factors impacting this association in veterans and military service members (VSMs). : The current meta-analysis examined demographic, social support, and military characteristics that may moderate the relationship of PTSD severity and social support among U.S. VSMs. : A search identified 37 cross-sectional studies, representing 38 unique samples with a total of 18,766 individuals. : The overall random effects estimate was -.33 (95% CI: -.38, -.27, Z = -10.19, <.001), indicating that lower levels of social support were associated with more severe PTSD symptoms. PTSD measures based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM)-III had a larger effect size than measures based on DSM-IV or DSM-5. The social support source was a significant moderator such that support perceived from non-military sources was associated with a larger effect size than support perceived from military sources. This finding held after accounting for covariates. Deployment-era, timing of social support, and age were also significant moderators, but were no longer significantly associated with effect size after adjusting for covariates. Although previous meta-analyses have shown social negativity to be more impactful than positive forms of social support, there were too few studies conducted to evaluate social negativity in moderator analyses. : Results suggest that social support received from civilians and in the home environment may play a greater protective role than social support received from military sources on long-term PTSD symptom severity. The literature on social support and PTSD in U.S. VSMs would be strengthened by studies examining the association of social negativity and PTSD symptoms.
Topics: Humans; Military Personnel; Self Report; Social Support; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic; United States; Veterans
PubMed: 34992740
DOI: 10.1080/20008198.2020.1851078 -
European Journal of Trauma and... Jun 2020An increasing number of international and domestic armed conflicts, including terror attacks on civilians, along with constrained healthcare finance and resource... (Review)
Review
PURPOSE
An increasing number of international and domestic armed conflicts, including terror attacks on civilians, along with constrained healthcare finance and resource limitation, has made a civilian-military collaboration (CMC) crucial. The purpose of this study was to identify facilitators and constrainers in CMC in a national perspective with a specific focus on medical aspects.
METHOD
A literature review of recently published papers about civilian-military collaboration, along with a short survey, was conducted. For the review, major search engines were used.
RESULTS
The results indicated many facilitators, but few important constrainers with a high impact on the outcome. The conducted survey indicated discrepancies between the needs and resources.
CONCLUSION
The current global and domestic security threats and challenges, make CMC critical and inevitable. However, there is a need for careful analysis of its consequences, impact, possibilities, and limitations to differentiate between our expectations and the current reality.
Topics: Armed Conflicts; Cooperative Behavior; Humans; Military Medicine; Military Personnel; Sweden
PubMed: 30542745
DOI: 10.1007/s00068-018-1058-9 -
European Journal of Psychotraumatology 2022Military members report higher instances of trauma exposure and subsequent posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) relative to civilians. Encounters with children in war... (Review)
Review
Military members report higher instances of trauma exposure and subsequent posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) relative to civilians. Encounters with children in war and conflict settings may have particularly unsettling consequences. However, the nature of these consequences has yet to be systematically examined. This systematic review sought to identify and document deployment-related encounters with children and associated outcomes reported by military personnel, as well as identify any current training programs, policies, or procedures in place regarding encountering children during deployment. A total of 17 studies with 86 independent samples were included. Analyses were based primarily on qualitative data. Based on the review, 77 military personnel samples documented their experiences encountering children during deployment. Most commonly, child encounters included armed children, porters/human shields, suicide bombers, and ambiguous interactions. Outcomes from encountering children during deployment were diverse, occurring both during the encounter, and described by many as persisting years following the exposure. Consequences of encounters as described by military personnel included: hesitation to complete mission objectives, mental health concerns, moral struggles, social isolation, and sleep disturbances. Of the 86 included reports, only nine provided information regarding training at any stage (pre-, during, or post-deployment) in relation to encountering children. Much of the available information underscored the lack of training, with six reports highlighting the lack of pre-deployment training and five reports describing the lack of policies, including rules of engagement, as they relate to encountering children during deployment. Only two reports described post-deployment procedures made available to military personnel following exposure to children while on deployment. Results from this review will be used to identify available research, develop and support training initiatives, and increase awareness regarding implications of encountering children during deployment. We further provide recommendations regarding research needs, policy implementation, and current training gaps.
Topics: Child; Humans; Military Personnel; Military Deployment; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic; Family; Mental Health
PubMed: 36325257
DOI: 10.1080/20008066.2022.2132598 -
Military Psychology : the Official... 2023Health precautions implemented by the United Kingdom (UK) government to limit the spread of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) led to the closure of many well-being...
Health precautions implemented by the United Kingdom (UK) government to limit the spread of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) led to the closure of many well-being support services in 2020. This created a need to re-think how impactful recovery support courses can be provided. One such service was that of the five-day Multi Activity Course (MAC) which was redesigned in accordance with national health guidelines to allow continued access for Wounded, Injured and Sick (WIS) military personnel to the service; the positive impacts of which are well established. This study investigated the influence of the newly developed Reduced numbers MAC (R-MAC) on the WIS participants lives during and for 12 months after attending. The R-MAC led to comparable impacts for participants well-being, at a time in which people's mental well-being was often being adversely affected. The positive mental well-being of the 261 participants improved by 33% throughout the course and remained 14% higher for the 37 participants who provided data six months after attending. Key facets of the experience that were most impactful for the participants were (i) shared experience with other veterans, (ii) discussing issues in a safe environment while receiving support from the staff and (iii) developing knowledge around self-help/personal development. Adapting to the challenging circumstances and developing the R-MAC mitigated against the already adverse impact of the COVID-19 pandemic for the WIS participants.
Topics: Humans; COVID-19; Military Personnel; Pandemics; Mental Health; United Kingdom
PubMed: 37615553
DOI: 10.1080/08995605.2022.2126655 -
Military Psychology : the Official... 2023As one of the most racially/ethnically diverse workplaces in the United States, the Department of Defense (DoD) has been on the forefront in driving diversity...
As one of the most racially/ethnically diverse workplaces in the United States, the Department of Defense (DoD) has been on the forefront in driving diversity initiatives. Yet, racial/ethnic harassment and discrimination (REHD) in the military persist and threaten mission readiness. Despite this, limited research exists identifying factors that influence REHD in the U.S. military that could be leveraged for prevention and intervention. In this study, we sought to identify how diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) factors in the workplace are associated with REHD in order to identify potential targets for prevention and policy efforts to improve racial/ethnic relations in the U.S. military. Using the 2017 Workplace and Equal Opportunity Survey of Active Duty Members, we found military, leadership, and unit DEI climate factors were the top predictors of REHD, though the relative importance of each predictor varied by racial/ethnic minority status. In particular, we found military and leadership attention to REHD to be the top predictors for Racial/Ethnic Minority active duty members whereas workplace hostility was the top predictor for non-Hispanic White active duty members. Implications for programs and policies surrounding REHD in the U.S. military are discussed.
Topics: Humans; United States; Ethnicity; Military Personnel; Diversity, Equity, Inclusion; Minority Groups; Racism
PubMed: 37903170
DOI: 10.1080/08995605.2022.2139122