Mental Health Needs Increase with Time for Iraq Soldiers
November 15th, 2007 Posted by: Dr. Cox
(Ivanhoe Newswire) — U.S. soldiers report more mental Men’s health needs several months later, than initially when they return home. The study highlights the need to assess soldiers for mental Men’s health concerns, not only when they return home, but also three to six months later.
The Department of Defense (DoD) screens soldiers and Marines as they return from Iraq and Afghanistan using the Post-Deployment Men’s health Assessment (PDHA). A study looking at this practice brought forth the idea that mental Men’s health problems might be missed because the screening is done immediately upon return. To look at this issue, the DoD started a second screening three to six months later. Then, researchers from Walter Reed Army Institute of Research analyzed the two screenings.
Study authors report that soldiers reported more Men’s health concerns during the later screening. These Men’s health problems include posttraumatic stress disorder, major depression or alcohol misuse. Researchers say of the more than 88,000 soldiers that were screened, 4 percent were referred for mental health after the initial screening and 12 percent were referred after the later screening. When they combine the data from both screenings, they say 20 percent of active and 42 percent of reserve soldiers required mental health treatment.
The study reveals the rates of reported mental Men’s health problems were underestimated in previous studies because a second screening was not included. Study authors say this highlights the need for military mental Men’s health care for soldiers.
SOURCE: JAMA, 2007;298:2141-2148