2015 APHA Annual Meeting & Expo

Home Events & Meetings Annual Meeting Schedule & Program

Recorded Annual Meeting Presentations (RAMP) are now available for purchase.
Only $90 for presenters, $140 for registered attendees and $200 for non-attendees.

Online Program

325747
Baseline Results of Mental Health Correlates from Operation: SAFETY, a longitudinal study of US Army Reserve/National Guard Soldiers and their Partners


Monday, November 2, 2015 : 2:30 p.m. - 2:50 p.m.

D. Lynn Homish, B.S., Department of Community Health & Health Professions, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY
Rachel Daws, BA, Department of Community Health and Health Behavior, The State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY
Sarah Cercone Heavey, MPH, School of Public Health & Health Professions, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY
Ken Conner, PhD, Dept of Psychiatry, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY
Gregory G. Homish, PhD, Department of Community Health and Health Behavior, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY
Audio (mp3) recording Recorded Presentation (mp4)
Background/Purpose: Military reserve soldiers are exposed to similar, potentially traumatic experiences as their active duty counterparts, yet studies show that rates of mental health problems are significantly higher among reserve component soldiers following deployment. To better understand the increased risk experienced by reserve soldiers, this study examined the relationships between the potential pre-deployment resilience factors and post deployment mental health.

Methods/Approach:  Data are cross-sectional from the baseline assessment of Operation: SAFETY (Soldiers And Families Excelling Through the Years), an ongoing longitudinal study of US Army Reserve/National Guard Soldiers and their partners.  Regression models were used to examine the impact of perceived deployment preparation and unit support on mental health outcomes while controlling for years of service, combat exposure, family support and marital satisfaction.

Findings:  Lower perceived unit support was significantly associated with higher depression scores (p<.05).  Lower perceived deployment preparation was associated with higher PTSD scores, while more perceived deployment preparation was associated with better emotional and social role functioning (all ps<.05).   Lower perceived deployment preparation and lower perceived unit support was significantly associated with higher anger scores (ps<.05). 

Implications:  These findings suggest that deployment preparation and unit support, or perceptions thereof, may help to mitigate the serious mental health outcomes facing our reserve soldiers.  Resiliency training should include plans to increase perceptions around preparation and enhance the training around the effects of Buddy support. Supported by R01-DA034072 to GGH

Learning Areas:

Public health or related research
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
Identify how perceived deployment preparation and unit support plays a role in soldiers mental health outcomes post deployment

Keyword(s): Mental Health, Prevention

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have directed a number of NIH R01 studies. I have overseen the recruitment, enrollment and longitudinal follow-up of various special populations focusing on mental health issues throughout the last 12 years. These studies have included data collections at multiple facilities in the communities as well as a national, multi-site study. I have extensive knowledge on data management and statistical training and have been involved in numerous publications and presentations on mental health issues.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 3379.0: Veteran and Active Duty Mental Health: Research Perspectives that Address the Impact of Trauma