PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - N Jones
AU  - N Greenberg
AU  - N T Fear
AU  - M Earnshaw
AU  - P Mcallister
AU  - G Reid
AU  - S Wessely
TI  - The Operational Mental Health Consequences of Deployment to Iraq For UK Forces
AID  - 10.1136/jramc-154-02-05
DP  - 2008 Jun 01
TA  - Journal of the Royal Army Medical Corps
PG  - 102--106
VI  - 154
IP  - 2
4099  - http://militaryhealth.bmj.com/content/154/2/102.short
4100  - http://militaryhealth.bmj.com/content/154/2/102.full
SO  - J R Army Med Corps2008 Jun 01; 154
AB  - UK Forces are currently engaged in high tempo, high intensity operations in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Concern has been raised about the impact of current operations upon the mental health of Service personnel. Using data gathered from deployed Field Mental Health Teams, a random sample of UK based non-deployed Community Mental Health Teams and services dedicated to mobilising, de-mobilising and to de-mobilised Reserve Forces, this paper explores the current mental health burden for UK Forces. At present, operationally related psychological disorders do not appear to be a substantial concern for Regular Forces, although for the minority that suffer such problems they are both distressing and of occupational relevance. Proportionately there are more mobilised Reserve Forces seeking help for mental health problems than Regular Forces on operations, but the overall burden that they currently place upon the Defence Mental Health Services is small. There is at present no evidence of an epidemic of mental health problems amongst either Regular or Reserve Forces veterans of the Op TELIC deployment, however, this may change in the future given the evolving nature and fluctuating intensity of operational activity.