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.
Feinstein
Anthony
A
Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto and Department of Psychiatry, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Ontario. ant.feinstein@utoronto.ca
Botes
Maggie
M
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