Work stress in the military: prevalence, causes, and relationship to emotional health.
OBJECTIVE
This study examined the prevalence and sources of occupational stress for military personnel and the relationship between work stress and emotional health in the military population.


METHODS
Four hundred seventy-two active duty military personnel stationed at F. E. Warren Air Force Base completed a 65-item survey that included items involving reported life events, perceptions about occupational stress, and perceptions about the relationship between work stress and emotional health.


RESULTS
These military personnel were significantly more likely to report suffering from job stress than civilian workers (p < 0.001). One-quarter (26%) reported suffering from significant work stress, 15% reported that work stress was causing them significant emotional distress, and 8% reported experiencing work stress that was severe enough to be damaging their emotional health. Generic work stressors were endorsed more frequently than military-specific stressors.


CONCLUSIONS
More than one-quarter of this sample of military personnel reported suffering from significant work stress and a significant number of these individuals suffered serious emotional distress. These results support previous research suggesting that work stress may be a significant occupational health hazard in the U.S. military.
Pflanz
Steven
S
Mental Health Services Flight Commander, F. E. Warren Air Force Base, WY 82005, USA.
Sonnek
Scott
S
D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016272:Occupational Health; D015995:Prevalence; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology