Transition back into civilian life: a study of personnel leaving the U.K. armed forces via "military prison".
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to identify the factors associated with poor outcomes for personnel leaving the United Kingdom Armed Forces early.


METHODS
We studied a population thought to be at high risk of poor outcomes: those leaving the Services early via the United Kingdom Military Corrective Training Centre. Participants were interviewed 1 week before leaving (predischarge) and followed up 6 months later. One hundred eleven participants completed predischarge interviews. Seventy-four (67%) were successfully followed up and interviewed 6 months later.


RESULTS
Thirty-eight of those followed up (56%) were classed as being disadvantaged after leaving. Being disadvantaged at follow-up was associated with: having predischarge mental health problems, receiving an administrative discharge, or having a short sentence length.


CONCLUSIONS
Factors associated with poor outcomes on leaving were often interrelated, making causal relationships complex. However, this study does provide a basis from which to identify, at the point of discharge, those most at risk of further disadvantage.
van Staden
Lauren
L
King's College London, Western Education Centre, 10 Cutcombe Road, London, SE5 9RJ, UK.
Fear
Nicola T
NT
Iversen
Amy C
AC
French
Claire E
CE
Dandeker
Christopher
C
Wessely
Simon
S
D000328:Adult; D004651:Employment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000523:psychology*; D011330:Prisons / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D006113:United Kingdom; D014728:Veterans / Q000523:psychology*