title: Risk-taking behaviours among UK military reservists.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Deploying in a combat role negatively impacts risk-taking behaviours, such as drinking, smoking and risky driving in regular UK military personnel. Little is known about the impact of deployment on the risk-taking behaviours of reservists.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To explore the impact of deployment on risk-taking behaviours among reservists.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a cross-sectional study. Hazardous drinking, risky driving, physical violence, smoking and attendance at accident and emergency (A&E) departments as a result of risk-taking behaviours were assessed by self-reported questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 1710 participants in the study; response rate 51%. The overall prevalence of risk-taking behaviours was: hazardous drinking 46%, smoking 18%, risky driving 11%, attending A&E due to risky behaviours 13% and reporting physical violence 3%. Deployment was significantly associated with risky driving [odds ratio (OR) 1.88, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.25-2.81], smoking (OR 2.02, 95% CI 1.46-2.78) and physical violence (OR 3.63, 95% CI 1.88-7.02).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is important to consider the impact of deployment and military factors on the prevalence of risk-taking behaviours in reservists as greater numbers than ever before will face the prospect of deployment to overseas conflicts.
authors.affiliation: Academic Department of Military Mental Health, King's College London, London SE5 9RJ, UK, gursimran.thandi@kcl.ac.uk.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Thandi
authors.affiliation: Academic Department of Military Mental Health, King's College London, London SE5 9RJ, UK.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sundin
authors.affiliation: Department of War Studies, King's College London, London WC2R 2LS, UK.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dandeker
authors.affiliation: Academic Department of Military Mental Health, King's College London, London SE5 9RJ, UK.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.affiliation: Academic Department of Military Mental Health, King's College London, London SE5 9RJ, UK.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Greenberg
authors.affiliation: King's Centre for Military Health Research, King's College London, London SE5 9RJ, UK.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wessely
authors.affiliation: King's Centre for Military Health Research, King's College London, London SE5 9RJ, UK.
authors.forename: N T
authors.initials: NT
authors.lastname: Fear
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology; D001334:Automobile Driving / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000523:psychology*; D016017:Odds Ratio; D015995:Prevalence; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology; D014754:Violence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
keywords: Alcohol; UK military.; deployment; driving; physical violence; reservists; risk-taking behaviour; smoking