title: Stress, Sleep and Depressive Symptoms in Active Duty Military Personnel.
abstract: The military is a unique occupational group and, because of this, military personnel face different kinds of stress than civilian populations. Sleep problems are an example. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between sleep problems, depression level and coping strategies among military personnel.
  
  
  
  In this cross-sectional study, military personnel completed the Beck Depression Inventory, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and the Jalowiec Coping Scale.
  
  
  
  An evaluation of the test scores showed that officers had better sleep quality and fewer depressive symptoms than enlisted personnel. Military personnel with higher educational levels and less physical illness also had fewer depressive symptoms. Officers and noncommissioned officers preferred problem-focused strategies. Those with higher Beck Depression Inventory and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index scores and those who drank alcohol frequently preferred affective-focused strategies.
  
  
  
  Our results revealed that sleep quality, physical illness and alcohol consumption were associated with the mental health of military personnel. Treating these factors may improve the mental health of military personnel and enhance effective coping strategies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Tao-Yuan General Hospital, Tao-Yuan, Taiwan; Department of Psychiatry, Tao-Yuan General Hospital, Hsin-Chu Branch, Hsin-Chu, Taiwan; Department of Psychiatry, Tri-Service General Hospital, School of Medicine, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Han-Wei
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Chou
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, Tri-Service General Hospital, School of Nursing, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Wen-Chii
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Tzeng
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yu-Ching
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Chou
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Tri-Service General Hospital, School of Medicine, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Nursing, Tri-Service General Hospital, School of Nursing, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan; Cancer Center, Tri-Service General Hospital, School of Medicine, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Nursing, School of Nursing, Kang-Ning Junior College of Medical Care and Management, Taipei, Taiwan; Institute of Bioinformatics, National Chiao Tung University, Hsin-Chu, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Hui-Wen
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Yeh
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Tri-Service General Hospital, School of Medicine, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan; Student Counseling Center, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Hsin-An
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Tri-Service General Hospital, School of Medicine, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Psychiatry, Tri-Service General Hospital, Song-Shan Branch, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yu-Chen
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Kao
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Tri-Service General Hospital, School of Medicine, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: San-Yuan
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Tri-Service General Hospital, School of Medicine, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Psychology, Soochow University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chin-Bin
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Yeh
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Tri-Service General Hospital, School of Medicine, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Mathematics, Tamkang University, New Taipei City, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Wei-Shan
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Chiang
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Tri-Service General Hospital, School of Medicine, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan; Student Counseling Center, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan. Electronic address: pierrens@mail.ndmctsgh.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Nian-Sheng
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Tzeng
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000523:psychology*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012890:Sleep / Q000502:physiology; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Depressive symptoms; Military personnel; Sleep quality; Stress