Substance Use and Mental Health Risk Factors for Servicemembers: Findings from U.S. Department of Defense Health Related Behavior Surveys

Abstract : This paper examines trends in use and risk factors for six substance use and mental health indicators among United States active duty military personnel: cigarette smoking, heavy drinking, illicit drug use, depression, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and suicidal ideation. Data were drawn from the 2008 and earlier population-based Department of Defense Surveys of Health Related Behaviors. A focus was on service-level findings and how Navy and Air Force personnel compare with Army and Marine Corps personnel on these trends and risk factors. Trends showed notable and highly similar declines in use for all services for cigarette smoking and illicit drug use, but a much flatter pattern for heavy drinking accompanied by significant increases in use from 1998 to 2008. Rates of PTSD increased from 2005 to 2008 for all services, but rates of depression and suicidal ideation did not show any significant changes. Risk factors varied across substance abuse outcomes, but cigarette smoking and heavy drinking had the most in common. The main risk factor for mental health outcomes was a comorbid mental health condition (e.g., PTSD and suicidal ideation were strong predictors of depression). High combat exposure was predictive of cigarette use, heavy drinking, and PTSD. As hypothesized, risk for smoking, depression, and PTSD were elevated for Navy personnel similar to those for Army and Marine Corps personnel.

[1]  Janice Brown,et al.  Alcohol use and negative consequences among active duty military personnel. , 2011, Addictive behaviors.

[2]  L. Hourani,et al.  Substance use and mental health trends among U.S. military active duty personnel: key findings from the 2008 DoD Health Behavior Survey. , 2010, Military medicine.

[3]  J. Griffith Citizens Coping as Soldiers: A Review of Deployment Stress Symptoms Among Reservists , 2010 .

[4]  Robyn M Highfill-McRoy,et al.  Correlates of posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms in Marines back from war. , 2010, Journal of traumatic stress.

[5]  Shira Maguen,et al.  Trends and risk factors for mental health diagnoses among Iraq and Afghanistan veterans using Department of Veterans Affairs health care, 2002-2008. , 2009, American journal of public health.

[6]  M. Witt,et al.  SUDAAN language manual , 2008 .

[7]  Charles W Hoge,et al.  Longitudinal assessment of mental health problems among active and reserve component soldiers returning from the Iraq war. , 2007, JAMA.

[8]  L. Hourani,et al.  Substance use trends among active duty military personnel: findings from the United States Department of Defense Health Related Behavior Surveys, 1980-2005. , 2007, Addiction.

[9]  L. Hourani,et al.  2005 Department of Defense Survey of Health Related Behaviors among Active Duty Military Personnel , 2006 .

[10]  Charles W Hoge,et al.  Mental health problems, use of mental health services, and attrition from military service after returning from deployment to Iraq or Afghanistan. , 2006, JAMA.

[11]  C. Hoge,et al.  Combat duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, mental health problems, and barriers to care. , 2004, The New England journal of medicine.

[12]  Lana D. Harrison,et al.  The Validity of Self-Reported Data on Drug Use , 1995 .

[13]  K. Rost,et al.  Development of Screeners for Depressive Disorders and Substance Disorder History , 1993, Medical care.

[14]  D S Rae,et al.  Comorbidity of mental disorders with alcohol and other drug abuse. Results from the Epidemiologic Catchment Area (ECA) Study. , 1990, JAMA.

[15]  Their Families,et al.  Returning Home from Iraq and Afghanistan: Preliminary Assessment of Readjustment Needs of Veterans, Service Members, and Their Families , 2010 .

[16]  Brett T. Litz,et al.  Comparing clinical outcomes of patients with severe lower limb trauma undergoing orthoplastic and orthopedic surgeries: A long-term study protocol , 2024, Heliyon.

[17]  L. Johnston,et al.  Issues of validity and population coverage in student surveys of drug use. , 1985, NIDA research monograph.