Parenthood and its Effects on Performance in Active Duty Medical Personnel
Abstract
Minimal research to date has examined the impact of new parenthood on either military personnel or medical professionals. This thesis aims to identify the specific impacts of new parenthood on performance of military medical professionals, a group of highly skilled, in-demand, and costly-to-train servicemembers. Using quarterly data from 2013-2019 obtained from the Army Person Data Environment, we used individual fixed effects models to identify how new parenthood impacts physical performance of Army and Navy medical enlisted and officers, using physical fitness test scores and body mass index. Models were controlled for age and analyzed by gender and officer/enlisted status. Results indicate that parenthood has significant negative effects on new parent physical fitness for military medical personnel. Detrimental effects to fitness persisted longest for female officers. Negative effects were greater in female personnel than male personnel, and greatest in female officers. These results indicate a need to adopt policies that promote a culture of fitness that coincides with parenthood, including, but not limited to, universal adoption of physical training during work hours, resources directed toward physical training in the pregnancy and postpartum periods, safe physical training while under other life stressors, such as sleep deprivation, and general lifestyle health behaviors. Modifying the timeline of postpartum return to physical fitness testing may also be warranted.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 01, 2021
- Accession Number
- AD1150594
Entities
People
- John J. Heyde
- Kevan M. Mellendick
Organizations
- Naval Postgraduate School