Utilization of psychiatric services by female military personnel changes since admission of women to all German Armed Forces military careers.
OBJECTIVE
In 2001, women were admitted to all military careers in the German Armed Forces. This study examines whether the utilization of psychiatric services of female military personnel has changed since then.


METHODS
The central medical database of German military personnel for the years 2000 and 2006 was analyzed.


RESULTS
Between 2000 and 2006, the percentage (based on the average totals of male and female military personnel) of consultations of primary care unit surgeons for psychiatric problems increased significantly for both male and female military personnel, this increase being more apparent for women than for men. Stress-related disorders showed the greatest rise. In 2006, as opposed to 2000, the total proportion of both outpatient and inpatient mental health treatment provided to female military personnel was significantly higher than for males, particularly regarding stress-related, affective and personality disorders.


CONCLUSIONS
Gender-specific aspects should be considered more intensely in preventive and therapeutic psychiatric supply in the German Armed Forces.
Zimmermann
Peter
P
Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, German Armed Forces Military Hospital Berlin, Scharnhorststrasse 13, 10115 Berlin, Germany.
Ströhle
Andreas
A
Langner
Franziska
F
Lanczik
Mario
M
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000523:psychology*; D008890:Military Psychiatry; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D014930:Women / Q000523:psychology*