Risk of incident mental health conditions among critical care air transport team members.
BACKGROUND
This study investigated whether Critical Care Air Transport Team (CCATT) members are at increased risk for incident post-deployment mental health conditions.


METHODS
We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 604 U.S. Air Force medical personnel without preexisting mental health conditions who had at least one deployment as a CCATT member during 2003-2012 as compared to a control group of 604 medical personnel, frequency matched based on job role, with at least one deployment during the same period, but without CCATT experience. Electronic health record data were used to ascertain the diagnosis of a mental health condition.


RESULTS
The incidence of post-deployment mental health conditions was 2.1 per 1000 mo for the CCATT group versus 2.2 per 1000 mo for the control group. The six most frequent diagnoses were the same in both groups: adjustment reaction not including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, major depressive disorder, specific disorders of sleep of nonorganic origin, PTSD, and depressive disorder not elsewhere classified. Women were at marginally increased risk and nurses and technicians were at twice the risk of physicians. The distribution of the time interval from end of the most recent deployment to diagnosis of incident mental health condition was positively skewed with a median greater than 6 mo.


CONCLUSIONS
CCATT members were at no increased risk for incident post-deployment mental health conditions as compared to non-CCATT medical service members. Nearly two-thirds of incident post-deployment mental health conditions were diagnosed outside the standard 6-mo medical surveillance period, a finding warranting further study.
Human Performance Integration Directorate, 711th Human Performance Wing, 2510 5th St., Bldg 840, Rm W413C, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH 45433-7913, USA. anthony.tvaryanas@wpafb.af.mil
Anthony P
AP
Tvaryanas
Human Performance Integration Directorate, 711th Human Performance Wing, 2510 5th St., Bldg 840, Rm W413C, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH 45433-7913, USA.
Genny M
GM
Maupin
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001359:Aviation; D005260:Female; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000523:psychology*; D012306:Risk; D012737:Sex Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology