The Physical and Psychological Status of Soldiers !n Garrison Compared to Military Personnel in Bosnia
Abstract
Between April and July 1998, the U.S. Army Medical Research Unit-Europe administered physical and psychological screening measures to 790 soldiers assigned to 11 U.S. Garrison units based in Germany. This report compares the Garrison data with data collected from 41,992 soldiers redeploying from Bosnia from November 1997 through March 1998 using scales to assess symptoms of post-traumatic stress, depression, and alcohol abuse. Soldiers exceeding criteria on any of the scales completed a secondary screen with mental health personnel to determine referral for follow-up services. Results indicated overall psychological and physical readiness for both samples. However, the Garrison sample reported more physical and psychological symptoms and had a higher rate of psychological referrals than the Bosnia sample. The Garrison sample exceeded criteria on the post-traumatic stress and depression scales compared to the Bosnia sample, with differences primarily found among junior-enlisted soldiers. Rates on the alcohol screening scale, and rates for soldiers requesting to speak with a counselor were similar for both samples. A more extensive physical health screen was conducted for the Garrison sample revealing a link between reported psychological and physical symptoms. This study establishes Garrison mental health norms and demonstrates that a proactive screening program may prevent more serious physical and psychological problems through early detection and self-referral.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 05, 2000
- Accession Number
- ADA381958
Entities
People
- Amy B Adler
- Ann H. Huffman
- Carl A. Castro
- Robert Bienvenu