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Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric... Sep 2017There is growing awareness of the problem of intimate partner violence (IPV) among military populations. IPV victimisation has been shown to be associated with mental... (Review)
Review
PURPOSE
There is growing awareness of the problem of intimate partner violence (IPV) among military populations. IPV victimisation has been shown to be associated with mental disorder. A better understanding of the link between IPV and mental disorder is needed to inform service development to meet the needs of military families. We aimed to systematically review the literature on the association between IPV victimisation and mental health disorders among military personnel.
METHODS
Searches of four electronic databases (Embase, Medline, PsycINFO, and Web of Science) were supplemented by reference list screening. Heterogeneity among studies precluded a meta-analysis.
RESULTS
Thirteen studies were included. There was stronger evidence for an association between IPV and depression/alcohol problems than between IPV and PTSD. An association between IPV and mental health problems was more frequently found among veterans compared to active duty personnel. However, the link between IPV and alcohol misuse was more consistently found among active duty samples. Finally, among active duty personnel psychological IPV was more consistently associated with depression/alcohol problems than physical/sexual IPV. The review highlighted the lack of research on male IPV victimisation in the military.
CONCLUSIONS
There is evidence that the burden of mental health need may be significant among military personnel who are victims of IPV. The influence of attitudes towards gender in the military on research in this area is discussed. Further research is needed to inform development of services and policy to reduce IPV victimisation and the mental health consequences among military personnel.
Topics: Crime Victims; Humans; Intimate Partner Violence; Mental Disorders; Military Personnel; Veterans
PubMed: 28748307
DOI: 10.1007/s00127-017-1423-8 -
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 -
Annals of Internal Medicine Apr 2009
Topics: Adolescent; Ambulatory Care Facilities; Burns; Child; Female; Humans; Internal Medicine; Iraq; Male; Military Personnel; Physicians, Women; Religion and Medicine
PubMed: 19380858
DOI: 10.7326/0003-4819-150-8-200904210-00013 -
Environmental factors, immune changes and respiratory diseases in troops during military activities.Respiratory Physiology & Neurobiology Jun 2013Combat operations in contemporary theaters of war, as well as combat training, are carried out in all parts of the world, typically in a harsh environment. Specific... (Review)
Review
Combat operations in contemporary theaters of war, as well as combat training, are carried out in all parts of the world, typically in a harsh environment. Specific environmental conditions, such as heat, cold, high-altitudes, desert climates, as well as chemical and biological pollution of both the atmosphere and soil, together with over-exertion, food restrictions, sleep deprivation, and psychological stress can all result in changes in the immune system and the occurrence of associated diseases. Respiratory diseases are one of the most common health problems among military personnel participating in combat training or deployed to operations in areas characterized by difficult climatic and sanitary conditions. They are, therefore, one of the main reasons for military personnel requiring ambulant and hospital treatment. The aim of the study was to discuss the influence of environmental factors and the conditions in which active duty is performed on changes in the immune system and the occurrence of respiratory tract diseases in a military environment.
Topics: Environmental Pollution; Humans; Immune System; Military Personnel; Respiratory Tract Infections
PubMed: 23403385
DOI: 10.1016/j.resp.2013.02.003 -
International Maritime Health 2018There are numerous reports on diver personality, spanning across five decades, across national boundaries, and using a range of measures to describe diver profiles.... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
There are numerous reports on diver personality, spanning across five decades, across national boundaries, and using a range of measures to describe diver profiles. However, the range of reports poses challenges to interpreting new studies, particularly when having to compare findings across generations, measurements, and national/cultural contexts. This paper aimed to review and integrate diver personality descriptions, drawing on the available studies that reported trait theory based data for naval and sport divers.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Available studies on diver personality - associated with trait theory - were tabulated and the specific traits associated with divers described. Their findings were then integrated into a synthesised description of personality traits.
RESULTS
The results suggest remarkably stable military diver profiles across generations, measures, and navies, with some unique differences observed due to national-cultural variables. It was of particular interest that different measures of personality appeared to present related constructions of diver profiles. Navy divers share, among others, a propensity for adventurousness, a strong sense of self-agency, and low trait anxiety. Unsurprisingly, personality profiling could not be generalised across military-civilian diving contexts, and the same clear profile differentiation of navy divers was not visible among sport divers.
CONCLUSIONS
Contemporary local data - in the context of military diving - could productively be compared to the body of existing reports, at least where similar theoretical models are used.
Topics: Culture; Diving; Humans; Military Personnel; Personality; Recreation
PubMed: 30589070
DOI: 10.5603/IMH.2018.0046 -
PloS One 2016Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) stands out as a major mental illness; however, little is known about effective policies for mitigating the problem. The importance...
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) stands out as a major mental illness; however, little is known about effective policies for mitigating the problem. The importance and complexity of PTSD raise critical questions: What are the trends in the population of PTSD patients among military personnel and veterans in the postwar era? What policies can help mitigate PTSD? To address these questions, we developed a system dynamics simulation model of the population of military personnel and veterans affected by PTSD. The model includes both military personnel and veterans in a "system of systems." This is a novel aspect of our model, since many policies implemented at the military level will potentially influence (and may have side effects on) veterans and the Department of Veterans Affairs. The model is first validated by replicating the historical data on PTSD prevalence among military personnel and veterans from 2000 to 2014 (datasets from the Department of Defense, the Institute of Medicine, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and other sources). The model is then used for health policy analysis. Our results show that, in an optimistic scenario based on the status quo of deployment to intense/combat zones, estimated PTSD prevalence among veterans will be at least 10% during the next decade. The model postulates that during wars, resiliency-related policies are the most effective for decreasing PTSD. In a postwar period, current health policy interventions (e.g., screening and treatment) have marginal effects on mitigating the problem of PTSD, that is, the current screening and treatment policies must be revolutionized to have any noticeable effect. Furthermore, the simulation results show that it takes a long time, on the order of 40 years, to mitigate the psychiatric consequences of a war. Policy and financial implications of the findings are discussed.
Topics: Combat Disorders; Humans; Military Personnel; Prevalence; Risk Factors; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic; Veterans; Warfare
PubMed: 27716776
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0161405 -
International Journal of Environmental... Oct 2022An anticipatory stress response develops before an internal or external stimulus, which initiates a homeostasis process through a chain of responses that enable human...
An anticipatory stress response develops before an internal or external stimulus, which initiates a homeostasis process through a chain of responses that enable human organisms to face different threats, thus allowing them to adapt to a continuous and eliciting environment. In the current research, we analyzed the psychophysiological anticipatory anxiety response of professional soldiers prior to a real mission in an actual theater of operation. Autonomic modulation through the heart rate variability values, muscular strength manifestation, and psychological stress of 53 military personnel of Army Airmobile Forces (age: M = 35.4 years, SD = 5.88 years; height: M = 1.75 m, SD = 6.87 cm; body mass: M = 77.33 kg, SD = 11.95 kg; military duty = 14.44 years, SD = 6.43; military operation experience = 4 months, SD = 4.25 months) and a control group of 33 civil participants were analyzed. The military personnel presented significant differences in some HRV values related to the activation of sympathetic systems. We found that the military personnel presented an anticipatory anxiety response only at an autonomic level, showing an increased sympathetic modulation, but not at a psychological level, since their anxiety levels were not significantly different than those of the control civilians. In addition, this anticipatory anxiety response did not affect muscular strength manifestation, as it presented no significant differences between the military personnel and the control group.
Topics: Humans; Adult; Military Personnel; Stress, Psychological; Anxiety; Autonomic Nervous System; Muscle Strength
PubMed: 36294217
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192013637 -
Clinical Child and Family Psychology... Sep 2013
Topics: Adult; Child Development; Child, Preschool; Family; Humans; Mental Disorders; Military Personnel; United States
PubMed: 23907283
DOI: 10.1007/s10567-013-0147-x -
Annals of Epidemiology Mar 2022The Millennium Cohort Study, the US Department of Defense's largest and longest running study, was conceived in 1999 to investigate the effects of military service on... (Review)
Review
PURPOSE
The Millennium Cohort Study, the US Department of Defense's largest and longest running study, was conceived in 1999 to investigate the effects of military service on service member health and well-being by prospectively following active duty, Reserve, and National Guard personnel from all branches during and following military service. In commemoration of the Study's 20th anniversary, this paper provides a summary of its methods, key findings, and future directions.
METHODS
Recruitment and enrollment of the first 5 panels occurred between 2001 and 2021. After completing a baseline survey, participants are requested to complete follow-up surveys every 3-5 years.
RESULTS
Study research projects are categorized into 3 core portfolio areas (psychological health, physical health, and health-related behaviors) and several cross-cutting areas and have culminated in more than 120 publications to date. For example, some key Study findings include that specific military service-related factors (e.g., experiencing combat, serving in certain occupational subgroups) were associated with adverse health-related outcomes and that unhealthy behaviors and mental health issues may increase following the transition from military service to veteran status.
CONCLUSIONS
The Study will continue to foster stakeholder relationships such that research findings inform and guide policy initiatives and health promotion efforts.
Topics: Cohort Studies; Health Behavior; Humans; Military Personnel; Surveys and Questionnaires; United States; Veterans
PubMed: 34906635
DOI: 10.1016/j.annepidem.2021.12.002 -
BMJ Military Health Apr 2022Women in the UK military are more commonly diagnosed with a mental health disorder than men, but the reasons for this difference are not fully understood. This... (Review)
Review
Women in the UK military are more commonly diagnosed with a mental health disorder than men, but the reasons for this difference are not fully understood. This literature review identifies the risk factors for mental ill health in military personnel before serving, during service and as a veteran. The interaction of risk factors is complex and, in some cases, may be synergistic, such as experiencing adverse events in childhood and exposure to combat. Identification of risk factors allows further research to better understand differences between men and women, and the impact of these risk factors on army personnel. In turn this will inform better preventive strategies, which could be targeted at the primary, secondary or tertiary levels.
Topics: Female; Humans; Male; Mental Health; Military Personnel; Risk Factors; United Kingdom; Veterans
PubMed: 33911013
DOI: 10.1136/bmjmilitary-2020-001679