Subject(s)
Medical Staff/psychology , Military Personnel , Afghan Campaign 2001- , Female , Humans , Iraq War, 2003-2011 , Male , Middle Aged , New Jersey , Private Practice , United States , WarfareABSTRACT
This study examines gender differences in post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) and PTSS risk/protective factors among soldiers deployed to Iraq. We pay special attention to two potentially modifiable military factors, military preparedness and unit cohesion, which may buffer the deleterious psychological effects of combat. Longitudinal data were collected on 922 New Jersey National Guard soldiers (91 women) deployed to Iraq in 2008. Anonymous surveys administered at pre- and post-deployment included the PTSD Checklist (PCL), the Unit Support Scale, and a preparedness scale adapted from the Iowa Gulf War Study. Bivariate analyses and hierarchical multiple regression were used to identify predictors of PTSS and their explanatory effects on the relationship between gender and PTSS. Women had a higher prevalence of probable post-deployment PTSD than men (18.7% vs. 8.7%; OR = 2.45; CI [1.37, 4.37]) and significantly higher post-deployment PTSS (33.73 vs. 27.37; p = .001). While there were no gender differences in combat exposure, women scored higher on pre-deployment PTSS (26.9 vs. 23.1; p ≤ .001) and lower on military preparedness (1.65 vs. 2.41; p ≤ .001) and unit cohesion (32.5 vs. 38.1; p ≤ .001). In a multivariate model, controlling for all PTSS risk/resilience factors reduced the gender difference as measured by the unstandardized Beta (B) by 45%, with 18% uniquely attributable to low cohesion and low preparedness. In the fully controlled model, gender remained a significant predictor of PTSS but the effect size was small (d = .26). Modifiable military institutional factors may account for much of the increased vulnerability of women soldiers to PTSD.
Subject(s)
Iraq War, 2003-2011 , Military Personnel/statistics & numerical data , Resilience, Psychological , Social Support , Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic/epidemiology , Women's Health/statistics & numerical data , Adult , Alcoholism/epidemiology , Cooperative Behavior , Depressive Disorder/epidemiology , Epidemiologic Methods , Female , Humans , Interprofessional Relations , Male , Military Personnel/psychology , New Jersey/epidemiology , Sex DistributionABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: Environmental exposure concerns are associated with adverse health outcomes in soldiers deployed to South West Asia. There is little data on factors associated with the reporting of exposure concerns. We explored the relationship between deployment-related preparedness/support and exposure concerns. METHODS: Retrospective chart review of 489 Afghanistan/Iraq veterans evaluated at a Veterans Affairs tertiary center for postdeployment health. RESULTS: Virtually all subjects were concerned about environmental exposure(s). There were no significant demographic differences in exposure concerns, preparedness/support variables, or both. Preparedness/support correlated inversely with exposure concerns. Mental health function mediated the relationship between preparedness/support and exposure concerns. CONCLUSIONS: Deployment-related preparedness/support is associated with exposure concerns and mental health functioning. Definitive studies will provide data and insight on how the military may better prepare/support soldiers to optimize their resilience and reduce deployment-related exposure concerns.
Subject(s)
Afghan Campaign 2001- , Environmental Exposure , Iraq War, 2003-2011 , Occupational Exposure , Veterans/psychology , Adolescent , Adult , Female , Humans , Male , Occupational Diseases/epidemiology , Occupational Diseases/psychology , Retrospective Studies , Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic/epidemiology , Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic/psychology , Veterans/statistics & numerical data , Young AdultABSTRACT
Despite well-documented postdeployment readjustment problems affecting veterans of Operations Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Iraqi Freedom (OIF), few studies have explored the possible relationship of readjustment stressors to the recent increase in military suicide. This study examined associations between suicidal ideation and postdeployment readjustment problems using cross-sectional population-based survey data from 1665 National Guard members who recently returned from Iraq. The findings suggested that readjustment problems are widespread, with 45% of veterans endorsing one or more financial or family problems 3 months postdeployment. After adjusting for mental health and combat exposure, veterans with the highest number of readjustment stressors were at 5½ times greater risk of suicidal ideation than those with no stressors. In a psychiatrically impaired subsample, the high stressor group experienced a fourfold risk of suicide ideation compared with those with no stressors. The findings argue for suicide prevention efforts that more directly target readjustment problems in returning OEF/OIF veterans.
Subject(s)
Combat Disorders/epidemiology , Combat Disorders/psychology , Iraq War, 2003-2011 , Resilience, Psychological , Suicidal Ideation , Veterans/psychology , Adolescent , Adult , Combat Disorders/diagnosis , Cross-Sectional Studies , Female , Humans , Longitudinal Studies , Male , United States/epidemiology , Young AdultSubject(s)
Combat Disorders/complications , Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic , Fibromyalgia , Irritable Bowel Syndrome , Primary Health Care/methods , Veterans Health , Case Management , Combat Disorders/physiopathology , Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic/diagnosis , Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic/etiology , Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic/psychology , Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic/therapy , Fibromyalgia/diagnosis , Fibromyalgia/etiology , Fibromyalgia/psychology , Fibromyalgia/therapy , Humans , Irritable Bowel Syndrome/diagnosis , Irritable Bowel Syndrome/etiology , Irritable Bowel Syndrome/psychology , Irritable Bowel Syndrome/therapy , Life Change Events , Pain Management , Risk Factors , Self Report , VeteransABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: We assessed the effects of prior military service in Iraq or Afghanistan on the health of New Jersey Army National Guard members preparing for deployment to Iraq. METHODS: We analyzed anonymous, self-administered predeployment surveys from 2543 National Guard members deployed to Iraq in 2008. We used bivariate and multivariate analyses to measure the effects of prior service in Afghanistan (Operation Enduring Freedom [OEF]) or Iraq (Operation Iraqi Freedom [OIF]) on mental and physical health. RESULTS: Nearly 25% of respondents reported at least 1 previous OEF or OIF deployment. Previously deployed soldiers were more than 3 times as likely as soldiers with no previous deployments to screen positive for posttraumatic stress disorder (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]=3.69; 95% confidence interval [CI]=2.59, 5.24) and major depression (AOR=3.07; 95% CI=1.81, 5.19), more than twice as likely to report chronic pain (AOR=2.20; 95% CI=1.78, 2.72) and more than 90% more likely to score below the general population norm on physical functioning (AOR=1.94; 95% CI=1.51, 2.48). CONCLUSIONS: Repeated OEF and OIF deployments may adversely affect the military readiness of New Jersey National Guard combat soldiers.
