Postdeployment Psychological Health and Interpersonal Problems Among Air Force Mental Health Personnel |
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Authors: | Anderson B Rowan Wendy J Travis David A Shwalb William C Isler Jisuk Park Jennifer Kimura |
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Institution: | 1. Department of Defense, United States Air Force, Royal Air Force Lakenheath, Suffolk, Englandanderson.rowan@us.af.mil;3. Department of Defense, United States Air Force, United States Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colorado;4. Department of Defense, United States Air Force, Andersen Air Force Base, Guam;5. Department of Defense, United States Air Force, Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas;6. Analytics and Reporting, Knowesis, Inc., San Antonio, Texas;7. Department of Defense, United States Air Force, Yokota Air Force Base, Fussa, Japan |
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Abstract: | This study is one of the first to use validated screening measures to examine the rates of self-reported mental health and interpersonal problems following deployment of military mental health personnel (MMHP). Research has examined the impact of deployment on military personnel finding 10.2% to 29.0% screen positive for at least one mental health problem. However, little is known about impacts of deployment among MMHP. Utilizing health data collected three to twelve months post-deployment from a sample of 759 Air Force MMHP, this study examined rates of positive screens for psychological health or interpersonal problems, subsequent confirmation of positive screens by a medical provider upon examination, and the demographic characteristics associated with psychological health or interpersonal problems. The study found 13.9% screened positive for “possible or probable PTSD,” 4.6% for depressive symptoms, 3.9% for alcohol problems, and 12.6% for interpersonal problems. In total, nearly 26% screened positive for one or more psychological or interpersonal problem. Of those who screened positive, 48.5% of depressive problems, 36.0% of PTSD, 20.0% of alcohol problems and 29.7% of interpersonal problems were confirmed upon subsequent examination by a medical provider. Those who screened positive were more likely to be (a) female, (b) separated, widowed, or divorced, (c) a mental health nurse or psychiatric nurse practitioner, and (d) deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan. The significance, limitations, and implications of the results, along with recommendations for future research are discussed. |
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Keywords: | mental health personnel military postdeployment posttraumatic stress psychological health |
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