British military women: combat exposure, deployment and mental health.
Adult
Afghan Campaign 2001-
Combat Disorders
/ epidemiology
Female
Humans
Interpersonal Relations
Iraq War, 2003-2011
Male
Mental Health
/ statistics & numerical data
Military Family
/ psychology
Military Personnel
/ psychology
Sex Factors
Social Stigma
Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic
/ epidemiology
Surveys and Questionnaires
United Kingdom
Combat exposure
PTSD
deployment
mental health
military
women
Journal
Occupational medicine (Oxford, England)
ISSN: 1471-8405
Titre abrégé: Occup Med (Lond)
Pays: England
ID NLM: 9205857
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
31 Dec 2019
31 Dec 2019
Historique:
pubmed:
14
8
2019
medline:
23
6
2020
entrez:
13
8
2019
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
Internationally, women are about to undertake combat duties alongside their male colleagues. The psychological effect of this policy change is largely unknown. To explore the mental health impact of combat exposure among military women. Self-report, between-subjects survey data were collected in Iraq and Afghanistan on four occasions between 2009 and 2014 (n = 4139). Differences in mental health, stigmatization, deployment experiences, intimate relationship impact, perception of family support levels, unit cohesion, leadership and help-seeking were compared between deployed men and women. Comparisons were repeated with the study sample stratified by level of combat exposure. Outcomes were examined using logistic regression adjusted for socio-demographic, mental health and military factors. Overall, 4.1% of women and 4.3% of men reported post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (odds ratio (OR) 1.31, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 0.70-2.46); 22% of women and 16% of men reported symptoms of common mental disorder (CMD) (OR 1.52, 95% CI 1.11-2.08). Women were less likely to report mental health-related stigmatization (OR 0.68, 95% CI 0.53-0.87), negative relationship impact from deployment (OR 0.69, 95% CI 0.49-0.98) and subjective unit cohesion (OR 0.69, 95% CI 0.53-0.90). Help-seeking for emotional problems was similar by gender (OR 1.22, 95% CI 0.84-1.77). Overall, outcomes were minimally impacted by level of combat exposure. Although women experienced more CMD symptoms, PTSD symptoms were similar by gender. Subject to confirmation of the study findings, women may not require enhanced mental healthcare during deployment for exposure-based conditions such as PTSD when undertaking the ground close combat role.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
BACKGROUND
Internationally, women are about to undertake combat duties alongside their male colleagues. The psychological effect of this policy change is largely unknown.
AIMS
OBJECTIVE
To explore the mental health impact of combat exposure among military women.
METHODS
METHODS
Self-report, between-subjects survey data were collected in Iraq and Afghanistan on four occasions between 2009 and 2014 (n = 4139). Differences in mental health, stigmatization, deployment experiences, intimate relationship impact, perception of family support levels, unit cohesion, leadership and help-seeking were compared between deployed men and women. Comparisons were repeated with the study sample stratified by level of combat exposure. Outcomes were examined using logistic regression adjusted for socio-demographic, mental health and military factors.
RESULTS
RESULTS
Overall, 4.1% of women and 4.3% of men reported post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (odds ratio (OR) 1.31, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 0.70-2.46); 22% of women and 16% of men reported symptoms of common mental disorder (CMD) (OR 1.52, 95% CI 1.11-2.08). Women were less likely to report mental health-related stigmatization (OR 0.68, 95% CI 0.53-0.87), negative relationship impact from deployment (OR 0.69, 95% CI 0.49-0.98) and subjective unit cohesion (OR 0.69, 95% CI 0.53-0.90). Help-seeking for emotional problems was similar by gender (OR 1.22, 95% CI 0.84-1.77). Overall, outcomes were minimally impacted by level of combat exposure.
CONCLUSIONS
CONCLUSIONS
Although women experienced more CMD symptoms, PTSD symptoms were similar by gender. Subject to confirmation of the study findings, women may not require enhanced mental healthcare during deployment for exposure-based conditions such as PTSD when undertaking the ground close combat role.
Identifiants
pubmed: 31404463
pii: 5548904
doi: 10.1093/occmed/kqz103
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
549-558Informations de copyright
© The Author(s) 2019. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Occupational Medicine. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.