Health Conditions Among Special Operations Forces Versus Conventional Military Service Members

2021 ◽  
Vol Publish Ahead of Print ◽  
Author(s):  
Amanda Garcia ◽  
Tracy S. Kretzmer ◽  
Kristen Dams-O'Connor ◽  
Shannon R. Miles ◽  
Laura Bajor ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Military Service ◽  
Health Conditions ◽  
Service Members ◽  
Special Operations ◽  
Military Service Members ◽  
Special Operations Forces

scholarly journals Associations Between Mental and Physical Health Conditions and Occupational Impairments in the U.S. Military

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael S Dunbar ◽  
Megan S Schuler ◽  
Sarah O Meadows ◽  
Charles C Engel
Keyword(s):  
Physical Health ◽  
Military Service ◽  
Active Duty ◽  
Health Conditions ◽  
Service Members ◽  
Physical Conditions ◽  
Military Service Members ◽  
Anxiety Depression ◽  
Mental And Physical Health ◽  
The U.S

ABSTRACT Introduction Prior studies have identified associations between specific health conditions and occupational impairments in the U.S. military, but little is known about the relative magnitude of impairments associated with different mental and physical health conditions among military service members. The goal of this study is to comparatively assess occupational impairment associated with mental and physical conditions among active duty military service members. Materials and Methods Data on 11,055 U.S. active duty service members were from the Department of Defense 2015 Health Related Behaviors Survey, an anonymous online health survey. Items assessed common mental and physical health conditions. Absenteeism was assessed as number of lost work days and presenteeism was assessed as number of work days with impaired functioning in the past 30 days. This research was approved by the RAND Human Subjects Protections Committee. Results Back pain (23%) and anxiety (14%) were the most prevalent conditions in the sample. Mental health conditions (anxiety, depression, and PTSD) were associated with more absentee and presentee days than physical conditions. Adjusting for physical health conditions, anxiety, depression, and PTSD showed robust associations with both absenteeism and presenteeism. Conclusions Common mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, and PTSD showed robust associations with absenteeism and presenteeism among active duty U.S. military service members. Efforts to rigorously evaluate and improve existing military screening programs and reduce barriers to accessing and engaging in mental healthcare may help to reduce work absenteeism and presenteeism among active duty service members.

scholarly journals Cigarette smoking patterns among U.S. military service members before and after separation from the military

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (10) ◽  
pp. e0257539
Author(s):  
Chiping Nieh ◽  
James D. Mancuso ◽  
Teresa M. Powell ◽  
Marleen M. Welsh ◽  
Gary D. Gackstetter ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Risk Factor ◽  
Cigarette Smoking ◽  
Military Service ◽  
Health Conditions ◽  
Service Members ◽  
Military Service Members ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Smoking Patterns ◽  
The Military

U.S. military Service members have consistently smoked more than the general population and the prevalence of smoking is even higher among U.S. veterans. Our study examined cigarette smoking patterns among Service members before and after military separation to better understand the disproportionate rate of smoking among veterans. Data from the Millennium Cohort Study were used. All study participants were in the military at baseline and some transitioned from the military to civilian life during the observation period. We investigated any impact of military separation on smoking, as well as other potential risk factors for smoking. Overall, we observed higher smoking prevalence among veterans than Service members. Additionally, we found that Service members smoked more while approaching their separation from the military. Longitudinal analysis revealed military separation was not a risk factor for smoking, as we had hypothesized. Baseline smoking was the most influential predictor of current smoking status. Other significant factors included alcohol consumption, life stressors, and mental health conditions, among others. Military separation was not a risk factor for smoking. However, Service members in the process of transitioning out of the military, as well as high alcohol consumers and Service members with mental health conditions, may be at higher risk of smoking. Including smoking prevention/cessation programs in pre-separation counseling sessions and developing smoking screening and cessation programs targeting specific high-risk subgroups may reduce smoking among Service members and veterans.

Prospective study of anxiety, post-traumatic stress and depression on postural control, gait, otolith and visuospatial function in military service members with persistent post-concussive symptoms

2019 ◽  
pp. 271-287
Author(s):  
◽  
Andrew Lewandowski ◽  
Lindell K. Weaver ◽  
◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Brain Injury ◽  
Postural Control ◽  
Traumatic Stress ◽  
Military Service ◽  
Service Members ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
High Anxiety ◽  
Affective Symptoms ◽  
Military Service Members ◽  
Post Traumatic

Purpose: Military service members often report both affective and vestibular complaints after mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), but associations between symptoms and vestibular deficits can be subtle and inconsistent. Methods: From two complementary studies, one of military service members with persistent post-concussive symptoms after mTBI (NCT01611194) and the other of adult volunteers with no history of brain injury (NCT01925963), affective symptoms were compared to postural control, gait, otolith and visuospatial function. Results: The studies enrolled 71 participants with mTBI and 75 normative controls. Participants with mTBI had significantly reduced postural equilibrium on the sensory organization test (SOT), and more so in those with high anxiety or post-traumatic stress. Cervical and ocular vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (cVEMP; oVEMP) showed prolonged latencies in mTBI participants compared to controls; oVEMPs were significantly delayed in mTBI participants with high anxiety, post-traumatic stress or depression. A subset of the mTBI group had abnormal tandem gait and high anxiety. Anxiety, posttraumatic stress, and depression did not correlate with performance on the 6-Minute Walk Test, visuospatial neuropsychological measures, and the Satisfaction with Life Scale in the mTBI group. Conclusions: In this study military service members with mTBI reported affective symptoms, concurrently with vestibular-balance concerns. Worse scores on affective measures were associated with abnormal findings on measures of postural control, gait and otolith function.

Duration of seropositivity following yellow fever vaccination in U.S. military service members

Vaccine ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 38 (52) ◽  
pp. 8286-8291
Author(s):  
Nicole P. Lindsey ◽  
Lori Perry ◽  
Marc Fischer ◽  
Tabitha Woolpert ◽  
Brad J. Biggerstaff ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Yellow Fever ◽  
Military Service ◽  
Service Members ◽  
Military Service Members ◽  
Yellow Fever Vaccination
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