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The psychological impact of deployment on OEF/OIF healthcare providers
Author(s) -
Hickling Edward J.,
Gibbons Susanne,
Barnett Scott D.,
Watts Dorraine
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
journal of traumatic stress
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.259
H-Index - 134
eISSN - 1573-6598
pISSN - 0894-9867
DOI - 10.1002/jts.20703
Subject(s) - health care , psychosocial , military personnel , active duty , anxiety , medicine , service member , distress , intervention (counseling) , psychiatry , psychology , military medicine , clinical psychology , medical emergency , political science , law , economics , economic growth
Abstract The psychological impact of military experience on healthcare providers has received little attention to date. The 2005 Department of Defense Survey of Health Related Behaviors Among Active Duty Personnel was used as a secondary data source, and deployed healthcare officers and healthcare specialists were identified and compared to deployed non‐healthcare officers and enlisted personnel: 6,116 respondents were surveyed. Findings revealed clinically significant psychological distress among deployed military healthcare provider respondents including posttraumatic stress symptoms, depression, anxiety, and adverse psychosocial impact, more prominent in the deployed healthcare specialist group. Based upon findings, possible factors for resilience and increased risk, as well as potential intervention needs in this healthcare provider group of service members are offered. Implications for future prospective studies are suggested.