scholarly journals Incidence of major depression diagnoses in the Canadian Armed Forces: longitudinal analysis of clinical and health administrative data

2019 ◽  
Vol 55 (5) ◽  
pp. 581-588
Author(s):  
François L. Thériault ◽  
R. A. Hawes ◽  
B. G. Garber ◽  
F. Momoli ◽  
W. Gardner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Major Depression ◽  
Administrative Data ◽  
Armed Forces ◽  
Clinical Encounter ◽  
Incidence Rates ◽  
Occupational Factors ◽  
Mental Health Resource ◽  
Canadian Armed Forces ◽  
Regular Force

Abstract Purpose Major depression is a leading cause of morbidity in military populations. However, due to a lack of longitudinal data, little is known about the rate at which military personnel experience the onset of new episodes of major depression. We used a new source of clinical and administrative data to estimate the incidence of major depression diagnoses in Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) personnel, and to compare incidence rates between demographic and occupational factors. Methods We extracted all data recorded in the electronic medical records of CAF Regular Force personnel, at every primary care and mental health clinical encounter since 2016. Using a 12-month lookback period, we linked data over time, and identified all patients with incident diagnoses of major depression. We then linked clinical data to CAF administrative records, and estimated incidence rates. We used multivariate Poisson regression to compare adjusted incidence rates between demographic and occupational factors. Results From January to December 2017, CAF Regular Force personnel were diagnosed with major depression at a rate of 29.2 new cases per 1000 person-years at risk. Female sex, age 30 years and older, and non-officer ranks were associated with significantly higher incidence rates. Conclusions We completed the largest study to date on diagnoses of major depression in the Canadian military, and have provided the first estimates of incidence rates in CAF personnel. Our results can inform future mental health resource allocation, and ongoing major depression prevention efforts within the Canadian Armed Forces and other military organizations.

Gender-related differences in mental health of Canadian Armed Forces members during the COVID-19 pandemic

2021 ◽  
pp. e20210012
Author(s):  
Kerry Sudom ◽  
Eva Guérin ◽  
Jennifer E. C. Lee
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Armed Forces ◽  
The State ◽  
Depression And Anxiety ◽  
Family Status ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Demographic Groups ◽  
Canadian Armed Forces ◽  
Regular Force ◽  
Clinically Significant

Lay Summary The challenges associated with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic have the potential to not only adversely affect mental health in general, but also to emphasize and widen disparities in mental health across demographic groups. In particular, research suggests that women have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic psychologically, socially, and economically. However, the state of mental health in the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) during the pandemic and the impacts of gender on mental health outcomes are currently unknown. This study uses data collected early in the pandemic to examine the state of mental health of CAF Regular Force members and the impacts of gender and family status. Although most members were doing well, a notable minority were experiencing mental health issues at potentially clinically significant levels, with women more likely to experience depression and anxiety than men and women with children less likely to experience functional impairment as a result of their symptoms. The findings provide a snapshot of the mental health of Regular Force members during the pandemic and suggest the importance of considering gender and family situation in understanding mental health.

scholarly journals Roles of physical and mental health in suicidal ideation in Canadian Armed Forces Regular Force veterans

2014 ◽  
Vol 105 (2) ◽  
pp. e109-e115 ◽  
Author(s):  
James M. Thompson ◽  
Mark A. Zamorski ◽  
Jill Sweet ◽  
Linda VanTil ◽  
Jitender Sareen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Suicidal Ideation ◽  
Armed Forces ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Canadian Armed Forces ◽  
Regular Force

scholarly journals The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members' experience with social services in the military: an exploratory study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Felisha K. Khan
Keyword(s):  
Social Services ◽  
Lived Experiences ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Armed Forces ◽  
Utilization Of Services ◽  
Perceived Need ◽  
Canadian Armed Forces ◽  
Regular Force ◽  
The Military ◽  
Depth Interviews

The aim of this study was to critically explore the strengths, limitations, barriers and gaps in social services within the CAF in relation to delivery, access and uptake of social services while employed in the CAF. The study provided CAF members an opportunity to express their thoughts, ideas and opinions based on their lived experiences, and to explore creative responses and solutions to issues members face with social services in the CAF. Presented are the findings from data collected through semi-structured, in-depth interviews with recently released CAF members. Themes that emerged from the research captured the lived experiences of the participants and were related to: differences between components (Regular Force vs. Reserve Force), perceived need and its effect on utilization of services, significant improvements in services post 9/11 and Afghanistan, organizational and systemic influence, impact of service providers, and better promotion of social services to the greater CAF community.

Retrospective cohort study of outpatient mental health visits in children and youth in Canadian military families

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alyson L. Mahar ◽  
Heidi Cramm ◽  
Isabel Garces ◽  
Alice B. Aiken ◽  
Simon Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
General Population ◽  
Military Families ◽  
Armed Forces ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Children And Youth ◽  
Health Services Use ◽  
Physician Visits ◽  
Outpatient Mental Health ◽  
Canadian Armed Forces

LAY SUMMARY This study tried to answer the question “Do children and youth in military families have a greater risk of emotional and behavioural problems than children and youth in the general population?” The authors used routinely collected health data from children and youth in Canadian Armed Forces families who relocated to Ontario, matched to data from children and youth in non-military families. They compared outpatient mental health services use, such as physician visits, and the reasons for those visits, such as depression. They found that children and youth in military families were more likely to visit a physician for specific mental health diagnoses than children and youth in the general population. More programming and resources supporting the mental health and well-being of children and youth in military families may be needed.

scholarly journals Retrospective cohort study of compliance with post-deployment screening in the Canadian Armed Forces

BMJ Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (7) ◽  
pp. e029355 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter J H Beliveau ◽  
David Boulos ◽  
Dylan Johnson
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Retrospective Cohort ◽  
Primary Outcome ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Armed Forces ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Service Members ◽  
Canadian Armed Forces ◽  
Kaplan Meier ◽  
Probabilistic Sample

ObjectiveCanadian Armed Forces (CAF) personnel who return from certain international deployments are required to complete post-deployment screening (PDS) 90 to 180 days post-deployment; the primary goal of PDS is early detection of mental health problems that aims for reduced delays to care provision. We investigated service members’ compliance with the PDS completion requirement and the factors associated with this compliance; a secondary objective was to investigate completion timing.DesignThe study used a retrospective cohort of CAF personnel (n=28 460) who had deployments over 01 January 2009 to 31 December 2014; inferences were based on a probabilistic sample (n=3004).Primary outcomeThe primary outcome was PDS completion. We assessed the timing of PDS completion, comparing non-compliant (early, late or no completion) with compliant completions (90 to 180 days post-deployment) among deployments that required screening. Kaplan-Meier plots summarised time-to-completion and logistic regression assessed the covariate associations with compliant completion. Covariate-adjusted marginal compliance prevalence differences (MPD) were computed.Results67.3% (95% CI65.0 to 69.6) of deployments that required PDS had one completed; 43.3% (95%CI 40.6 to 46.0) were completed within the compliant period. Compliant completion was higher with lower ranks (MPD=10.6%, relative to officers), combat arms occupations (MPD=8.4%), Afghanistan deployments (MPD=19.2%), longer deployments (MPD=10.1%) and among those without a past mental health problem (MPD=9.7%).ConclusionsOur findings suggest that some selective processes may be occurring where those perceived to be at higher risk for post-deployment mental health problems are more compliant with PDS completion. However, PDS completion and compliant completion were lower than expected and this suggests a need to reinforce instruction on the guidelines and objectives of PDS among service members in the CAF.

Impact of Canadian Armed Forces Veterans’ Mental Health Problems on the Family During the Military to Civilian Transition

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 148-158 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heidi Cramm ◽  
Deborah Norris ◽  
Kelly Dean Schwartz ◽  
Linna Tam-Seto ◽  
Ashley Williams ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Armed Forces ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Canadian Armed Forces ◽  
The Family ◽  
The Military
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