The psychological health of contractors working in war zones.
This study examines the psychological health of contractors working in war zones. Seventy-nine contractors completed an Internet-based psychiatric assessment. The sample was exclusively male with a mean age of 43 (SD = 7) years. The number of contractors whose scores exceeded the cutoff points for depression, psychological distress, and excessive weekly alcohol consumption were 15 (20%), 21 (28%), and 13 (17%), respectively. A third of contractors had posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) scores in the moderate to severe range. Approximately 10% of contractors had employer-organized access to psychological help following deployment. This study provides the first empirical data showing that a significant minority of contractors working in war zones are psychologically distressed and not receiving therapy.
Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto and Department of Psychiatry, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Ontario. ant.feinstein@utoronto.ca
Anthony
A
Feinstein
Maggie
M
Botes
D000328:Adult; D003132:Commerce; D003284:Contract Services; D004651:Employment / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014857:Warfare