Millennium Cohort: the 2001-2003 baseline prevalence of mental disorders in the U.S. military.
OBJECTIVE
The 12-month prevalence of common mental illnesses in the United States is estimated to be 26%, accounting for an increasing fraction of all disability in the general population. The U.S. military is a unique group involved in response and defense during times of conflicts and disasters. The mental health of service members affects organizational productivity and effectiveness and is of great importance to the health of U.S. military members and public health in general.


METHODS
In the present report, the authors describe the baseline prevalence of mental disorders in a large U.S. military cohort, the Millennium Cohort, established for a 22-year longitudinal study of the health effects of military service. Using crude and weighted prevalence and multivariable logistic regression, the mental health morbidity of the Millennium Cohort is reported for various demographics.


RESULTS
These analyses suggest that although the cohort compares favorably to other populations, there are military subpopulations, including women, younger, less educated, single, white, short-term service, enlisted, and Army members, who are at greater odds for some mental disorders.


CONCLUSIONS
With ongoing U.S. involvement in combat operations around the world, these baseline data are essential to assessing long-term mental health morbidity in U.S. military service members.
Riddle
James R
JR
Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, OH, USA.
Smith
Tyler C
TC
Smith
Besa
B
Corbeil
Thomas E
TE
Engel
Charles C
CC
Wells
Timothy S
TS
Hoge
Charles W
CW
Adkins
Joyce
J
Zamorski
Mark
M
Blazer
Dan
D
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D015986:Confounding Factors, Epidemiologic; D005260:Female; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008889:Military Personnel; D008890:Military Psychiatry; D009017:Morbidity; D015995:Prevalence; D014481:United States; D014728:Veterans