Association Between Responsibility for the Death of Others and Postdeployment Mental Health and Functioning in US Soldiers.

ABSTRACT:

Importance

Rates of suicidal thoughts and behaviors (STBs) in US soldiers have increased sharply since the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, and postdeployment posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) remains a concern. Studies show that soldiers with greater combat exposure are at an increased risk for adverse mental health outcomes, but little research has been conducted on the specific exposure of responsibility for the death of others.

Objective

To examine the association between responsibility for the death of others in combat and mental health outcomes among active-duty US Army personnel at 2 to 3 months and 8 to 9 months postdeployment.

Design, setting, and participants

This cohort study obtained data from a prospective 4-wave survey study of 3 US Army briga

SUBMITTER: Khan AJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8561325 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature