title: Treatment of Mental or Physical Health Problems in a Combat Zone: Comparisons of Postdeployment Mental Health and Early Separation From Service.
abstract: The primary aim of this study was to evaluate whether being treated for mental health or nonbattle physical injury during military combat deployment was associated with higher risk for postdeployment mental disorders and poorer career outcomes than seen in the general combat-deployed population. Service members treated in theater for mental health (n = 964) or noncombat injury (n = 853) were compared with randomly sampled personnel (n = 7,220) from the general deployed population on diagnosed mental disorders and early separation from service. Deployment, medical, and career information were obtained from Department of Defense archival databases. Over half of the personnel who received mental health treatment while deployed were diagnosed with 1 or more mental disorders postdeployment and/or were separated from service before completing their full-term enlistment. This was significantly higher than expected compared to the general deployed group, adjusting for demographic/military characteristics and mental health history (adjusted odds ratios [ORs] ranging 1.62 to 2.96). Frequencies of problems also were higher in the mental health-treated group than in the group treated for nonbattle physical injuries (significant adjusted ORs ranging 1.65 to 2.58). The documented higher risks for postdeployment adjustment problems suggested that especially those treated in theater by mental health providers might benefit from postdeployment risk-reduction programs.
authors.affiliation: Medical Modeling, Simulation, and Mission Support Department, Naval Health Research Center, San Diego, California, USA.
authors.forename: Terry L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Conway
authors.affiliation: Behavioral Sciences and Epidemiology Department, Naval Health Research Center, San Diego, California, USA.
authors.forename: Emily A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Schmied
authors.affiliation: Behavioral Sciences and Epidemiology Department, Naval Health Research Center, San Diego, California, USA.
authors.forename: Gerald E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Larson
authors.affiliation: Medical Modeling, Simulation, and Mission Support Department, Naval Health Research Center, San Diego, California, USA.
authors.forename: Michael R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Galarneau
authors.affiliation: Navy Medicine Information Systems Support Activity, San Antonio, Texas, USA.
authors.forename: Paul S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Hammer
authors.affiliation: Medical Modeling, Simulation, and Mission Support Department, Naval Health Research Center, San Diego, California, USA.
authors.forename: Kimberly H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Quinn
authors.affiliation: Naval Center for Combat and Operational Stress Control, San Diego, California, USA.
authors.forename: Kimberly J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Schmitz
authors.affiliation: Naval Center for Combat and Operational Stress Control, San Diego, California, USA.
authors.forename: Jennifer A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Webb-Murphy
authors.affiliation: Mental Health Directorate, Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton, Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, USA.
authors.forename: Wayne C
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Boucher
authors.affiliation: Medical Modeling, Simulation, and Mission Support Department, Naval Health Research Center, San Diego, California, USA.
authors.forename: Nathan K
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Edwards
authors.affiliation: Medical Modeling, Simulation, and Mission Support Department, Naval Health Research Center, San Diego, California, USA.
authors.forename: Hoa L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Ly
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003130:Combat Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D016208:Databases, Factual; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D008603:Mental Health; D008889:Military Personnel; D011613:Psychotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D012307:Risk Factors; D014481:United States