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- Title
Effect of Dwell Time on the Mental Health of US Military Personnel With Multiple Combat Tours.
- Authors
MacGregor, Andrew J.; Han, Peggy P.; Dougherty, Amber L.; Galarneau, Michael R.
- Abstract
Objective. We investigated the association of the length of time spent at home between deployments, or dwell time, with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other mental health disorders. Methods. We included US Marine Corps personnel identified from military deployment records who deployed to Operation Iraqi Freedom once (n = 49 328) or twice (n = 16 376). New-onset mental health diagnoses from military medical databases were included. We calculated the ratio of dwell-to-deployment time (DDR) as the length of time between deployments divided by the length of the first deployment. Results. Marines with 2 deployments had higher rates of PTSD than did those with 1 deployment (2.1% versus 1.2%; P < .001). A DDR representing longer dwell times at home relative to first deployment length was associated with reduced odds of PTSD (odds ratio [OR] = 0.47; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.32, 0.70), PTSD with other mental health disorder (OR = 0.56; 95% CI = 0.33, 0.94), and other mental health disorders (OR = 0.62; 95% CI = 0.51, 0.75). Conclusions. Longer dwell times may reduce postdeployment risk of PTSD and other mental health disorders. Future research should focus on the role of dwell time in adverse health outcomes.
- Subjects
MENTAL illness risk factors; POST-traumatic stress disorder; MILITARY service; HOME environment; AGE factors in disease; CONFIDENCE intervals; EPIDEMIOLOGY; RESEARCH methodology; RESEARCH funding; MILITARY personnel; TIME; UNITED States. Marine Corps; DATA analysis; DESCRIPTIVE statistics; PSYCHOLOGY
- Publication
American Journal of Public Health, 2012, Vol 102, Issue S1, pA55
- ISSN
0090-0036
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.2105/AJPH.2011.300341