What are the effects of having an illness or injury whilst deployed on post deployment mental health? A population based record linkage study of UK army personnel who have served in Iraq or Afghanistan.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The negative impact of sustaining an injury on a military deployment on subsequent mental health is well-documented, however, the relationship between having an illness on a military operation and subsequent mental health is unknown.

Methods

Population based study, linking routinely collected data of attendances at emergency departments in military hospitals in Iraq and Afghanistan [Operational Emergency Department Attendance Register (OpEDAR)], with data on 3896 UK Army personnel who participated in a military health study between 2007 and 2009 and deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan between 2003 to 2009.

Results

In total, 13.8% (531/3896) of participants had an event recorded on OpEDAR during deployment; 2.3% (89/3884) were medically evacuated. As expected, t

SUBMITTER: Forbes HJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3507752 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature