Feeling the Strain: Understanding the Relationship between Stress and Physical Activity in Members of the Royal Canadian Navy.

INTRODUCTION: Research finds that experiencing psychological stress can be associated with engaging in less physical activity, a critical contributor to operational readiness and overall health and well-being. As navy personnel tend to engage in lower levels of physical activity than other military personnel, the purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between stress and physical activity in the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) and identify moderators of this relationship. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data for this study were obtained from an electronic workplace well-being survey administered to a stratified random sample of 930 members in hard sea occupations managed by the RCN. Multivariable logistic regressions examined the associations between indicators of stress (e.g., job stress, burnout, work-life conflict, and psychological distress) and physical activity engagement; the moderating effects of demographic/military characteristics and health status (e.g., rank, gender, sailing status, general health status, and body mass index [BMI]) were examined. RESULTS: Navy personnel who were married or in common-law relationships and those who reported poorer overall health were less likely to be physically active. Navy personnel with lower psychological distress were more likely be active (P = .03); however, direct associations with other indicators of stress were not significant. BMI was the only significant moderator of the relationship between stress and physical activity. Specifically, for members classified as obese, higher levels of burnout and work-life conflict were associated with being more physically active. Conversely, nonobese members with elevated burnout reported less physical activity. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study support a complex relationship between experiencing stress and engaging in physical activity, which showed varying patterns based on BMI classification. Although the cross-sectional nature of the data precludes any inferences about the direction of these effects, the results suggest that some members of the RCN are more at risk of experiencing decrements in physical activity. Future research should examine the types of physical activity supports and incentives that are needed to ensure that navy personnel derive the benefits of an active lifestyle, especially in times of stress.

Development and formative evaluation of the Canadian Armed Forces Surveillance and Outbreak Management System (CAF SOMS): applications for COVID-19 and beyond. / Élaboration et évaluation formative du Système de surveillance et de gestion des éclosions des Forces armées canadiennes (SSGE FAC) : applications durant la pandémie de COVID-19 et futures applications.

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted limitations in the current public health data infrastructure, and the need for a comprehensive, real-time, centralized, user-friendly data management system suitable for both disease surveillance and outbreak management. To address these issues, the Canadian Forces Health Services Group developed the webbased Canadian Armed Forces Surveillance and Outbreak Management System (CAF SOMS). This paper details the development of the CAF SOMS, provides formative evaluation results and includes a discussion of the lessons learned and intent to use the CAF SOMS in future to enhance the CAF's disease surveillance and outbreak management capability beyond COVID-19.

The Canadian Armed Forces Surveillance and Outbreak Management System (CAF SOMS) was developed to address gaps in information management identified during the COVID-19 pandemic. Integrating a formative evaluation in the phased development and implementation helped to address issues with the system prior to its national roll-out. Lessons learned from its development, implementation and evaluation can inform further refinement and future applications of the CAF SOMS, and potentially of other public health information systems. Increased uptake of the system, integration with electronic records and alignment with the pan-Canadian Health Data Strategy may enhance responses to disease threats and improve CAF health outcomes.

Le Système de surveillance et de gestion des éclosions des Forces armées canadiennes (SSGE FAC) a été élaboré pour combler les lacunes en matière de gestion de l'information relevées pendant la pandémie de COVID-19. L'intégration d'une évaluation formative dans le processus d'élaboration et de mise en oeuvre par étapes a aidé à régler les problèmes liés au système avant son déploiement à l'échelle nationale. Les constats dégagés lors de l'élaboration, de la mise en oeuvre et de l'évaluation du système vont pouvoir contribuer à l'amélioration et aux applications futures du SSGE FAC et peut-être même d'autres systèmes d'information en santé publique. L'utilisation accrue du système, son intégration aux dossiers médicaux électroniques et son harmonisation avec la Stratégie pancanadienne de données sur la santé contribuerait vraisemblablement à lutter contre les menaces liées aux maladies et améliorer les résultats en matière de santé des FAC.

Adverse childhood experiences and mental health in military recruits: Exploring gender as a moderator.

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have consistently been associated with adult psychopathology and are commonly reported among military populations, with women more likely to report many types of ACEs than men. Limited research has examined the role of gender in the association between ACEs and mental health in military populations. The current study assessed the significance of gender differences in ACEs and mental health and explored the associations among these variables in a sample of Canadian Armed Forces recruits/officer cadets. Analyses with cross-sectional Recruit Health Questionnaire (RHQ) data from 50,603 recruits/officer cadets indicated that women were more likely to report witnessing domestic violence, experiencing sexual abuse, and living with someone with mental health problems or alcohol misuse, odds ratios (ORs) = 1.22-4.35, ps < .001. Women were more likely to screen positive for depression, adjusted (aORs) = 1.25-1.49, p < .001-p = .002, and anxiety, aORs = 2.00-2.33, ps < .001, before basic military training. ACEs were associated with screening positive for probable mental health conditions, aORs = 1.54-6.13, p < .001-p = .017. A significant interaction suggested the association between childhood sexual abuse and depression was stronger for men, aOR = 2.49, p < .001, than women, aOR = 1.63, p = .002, as was the association between childhood sexual abuse and posttraumatic stress disorder, men: aOR = 6.06, p < .001, women: aOR = 3.36, p < .001. These results underscore the importance of considering gender and childhood trauma in mental health interventions with military personnel.