title: Profile of psychiatric disorders in the Sri Lanka Air Force and the outcome at 6 months.
abstract: The epidemiology of mental disorders in the Sri Lanka Air Force is not known, although they have been engaged in front line military service in a civil war for the past two decades. This study aims to identify the mental health needs of military personnel as a means to resource development. Referrals to a specialist psychiatry outpatient service were studied to assess the profile of diagnoses and outcome after 6 months. Fifty percent suffered from adjustment disorder or a stress reaction. In a majority, the onset of the mental health problem was not caused by direct exposure to the war situation. There was a high rate of return to work at 6 months. However, a disproportionately high loss of personnel was seen in the new recruits and trainee soldiers. These data are useful in developing services and resources for mental health care for the workforce.
authors.affiliation: Medical and Dental Health Centre Sri Lanka Air Force Health Services, Guwanpura, Colombo 10, Sri Lanka.
authors.forename: Hemamali
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Perera
authors.forename: Thirupathy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Suveendran
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mariestella
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001359:Aviation; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D008605:Mental Health Services; D008875:Middle Aged; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016272:Occupational Health; D013188:Sri Lanka / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D000078329:Workforce