The health of women married to men in regular army service: women who cannot afford to be ill.

The health, distress, and health services utilization of 44 women married to army men was compared to those of 53 women living in the same community. Army wives were found to have less access to health promoting and maintaining resources such as social support, employment, and the "sense of coherence." Although army wives' health is not significantly different from that of the controls, they visit the family physician with their children more often. It is suggested that women who are married to army men learn to cope with instability and with limited access to salutary factors, but the lay referral system is irreplaceable.