Perceived problems, help-seeking and mental health disorder symptoms among military doctors, UK Armed Forces serving personnel and ex-service veterans
| Characteristics | No, n (%) | Yes, n (%) | OR (95% CI) | AOR (95% CI)† |
| Stress, emotional or mental health problem in the last three years‡ | ||||
| Ex-service (n=657) | 0 (0.0) | 657 (100.0) | ||
| Doctor (n=673) | 363 (53.9) | 310 (46.1) | ||
| Regular (n=667) | 0 (0.0) | 667 (100.0) | ||
| Reserve (n=124) | 0 (0.0) | 124 (100.0) | ||
| Sought help for a stress, emotional or mental health problem in the last three years§ | ||||
| Ex-service (n=657) | 264 (40.2) | 393 (59.8) | 1 | 1 |
| Doctor (n=309) | 199 (64.4) | 110 (35.6) | 0.37 (0.28 to 0.49)*** | 0.32 (0.24 to 0.43)*** |
| Regular (n=667) | 306 (45.9) | 361 (54.1) | 0.79 (0.64 to 0.99)* | 0.76 (0.61 to 0.95)* |
| Reserve (n=124) | 52 (41.9) | 72 (58.1) | 0.93 (0.63 to 1.37) | 0.86 (0.58 to 1.27) |
| Alcohol problem in the last three years | ||||
| Ex-service (n=657) | 548 (83.4) | 109 (16.6) | 1 | 1 |
| Doctor (n=667) | 645 (96.7) | 22 (3.3) | 0.17 (0.12 to 0.28)*** | 0.19 (0.12 to 0.30) |
| Regular (n=665) | 568 (85.4) | 97 (14.6) | 0.86 (0.64 to 1.16) | 0.89 (0.66 to 1.20) |
| Reserve (n=124) | 110 (88.7) | 14 (11.3) | 0.64 (0.35 to 1.16) | 0.70 (0.39 to 1.28) |
| Sought help for an alcohol problem in the last three years§ | ||||
| Ex-service (n=109) | 83 (76.1) | 26 (23.9) | 1 | 1 |
| Doctor (n=22) | 19 (86.4) | 3 (13.6) | 0.50 (0.14 to 1.84) | 0.54 (0.15 to 1.99) |
| Regular (n=97) | 68 (70.1) | 29 (29.9) | 1.36 (0.73 to 2.53) | 1.34 (0.72 to 2.49) |
| Reserve (n=14) | 8 (57.1) | 6 (42.9) | 2.39 (0.76 to 7.54) | 2.40 (0.75 to 7.60) |
| Relationship or family problem in the last three years | ||||
| Ex-service (n=653) | 317 (48.5) | 336 (51.5) | 1 | 1 |
| Doctor (n=665) | 457 (68.1) | 214 (31.9) | 0.44 (0.35 to 0.55)*** | 0.46 (0.37 to 0.58)*** |
| Regular (n=665) | 281 (42.3) | 384 (57.7) | 1.29 (1.04 to 1.60)* | 1.31 (1.05 to 1.63)* |
| Reserve (n=123) | 55 (44.7) | 68 (55.3) | 1.17 (0.79 to 1.72) | 1.22 (0.83 to 1.80) |
| Sought help for a relationship or family problem in the last three years§ | ||||
| Ex-service (n=336) | 214 (63.7) | 122 (36.3) | 1 | 1 |
| Doctor (n=212) | 161 (75.9) | 51 (24.1) | 0.56 (0.38 to 0.82)** | 0.54 (0.36 to 0.80)** |
| Regular (n=384) | 216 (56.3) | 168 (43.8) | 1.36 (1.01 to 1.84)* | 1.34 (0.99 to 1.81) |
| Reserve (n=68) | 41 (60.3) | 27 (39.7) | 1.16 (0.68 to 1.97) | 1.15 (0.67 to 1.96) |
| GHQ-12 four or more symptoms | ||||
| Ex-service (n=656) | 336 (51.2) | 320 (48.8) | 1 | 1 |
| Doctor (n=676) | 510 (74.5) | 166 (24.6) | 0.34 (0.27 to 0.43)*** | 0.34 (0.27 to 0.43) |
| Regular (n=667) | 373 (56.0) | 293 (44.0) | 0.83 (0.66 to 1.02) | 0.82 (0.66 to 1.02) |
| Reserve (n=123) | 70 (56.9) | 53 (43.1) | 0.80 (0.54 to 1.17) | 0.78 (0.53 to 1.16) |
*P<0.05, **P<0.01, ***P<0.001.
†Adjusted for sex and service background (Royal Navy, Army, Royal Air Force).
‡All groups except doctors were sampled on the basis that they reported a stress emotional problem in the last three years.
§This is the proportion of those who endorsed having a problem in the last three years.
AOR, adjusted OR; GHQ-12, 12-Item General Health Questionnaire.