title: Explanations for the increase in mental health problems in UK reserve forces who have served in Iraq.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Deployment to the 2003 Iraq War was associated with ill health in reserve armed forces personnel.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate reasons for the excess of ill health in reservists.
  
  
  METHODS
  UK personnel who were deployed to the 2003 Iraq War completed a health survey about experiences on deployment to Iraq. Health status was measured using self-report of common mental disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), fatigue, physical symptoms and well-being.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Reservists were older and of higher rank than the regular forces. They reported higher exposure to traumatic experiences, lower unit cohesion, more problems adjusting to homecoming and lower marital satisfaction. Most health outcomes could be explained by role, experience of traumatic events or unit cohesion in theatre. PTSD symptoms were the one exception and were paradoxically most powerfully affected by differences in problems at home rather than events in Iraq.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The increased ill-health of reservists appears to be due to experiences on deployment and difficulties with homecoming.
authors.affiliation: King's Centre for Military Health Research, King's College, UK.
authors.forename: Tess
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Browne
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hull
authors.forename: Oded
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Horn
authors.forename: Margaret
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: Dominic
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.forename: Nicola T
authors.initials: NT
authors.lastname: Fear
authors.forename: Neil
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Greenberg
authors.forename: Claire
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: French
authors.forename: Roberto J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Rona
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wessely
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hotopf
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003130:Combat Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007493:Iraq; D054542:Iraq War, 2003-2011; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000523:psychology*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D006113:United Kingdom