Invited commentary: how healthy is the "healthy warrior"?
1Department of Psychology, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA. rosemary_toomey@hms.harvard.edu
American Journal of Epidemiology
|April 25, 2008
Summary
Deployed Marines show lower mental disorder rates than non-deployed personnel, except for stress disorders, indicating a "healthy warrior" effect. Methodological differences explain lower rates compared to previous conflicts.
Area of Science:
- Epidemiology
- Military Mental Health
Background:
- Examines mental disorder incidence in US Marines during Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.
- Reports 11.8% incidence for any mental disorder and 1.6% for post-traumatic stress disorder.
Discussion:
- Compares findings to previous wars, noting lower rates due to methodological variations in diagnosis, observation windows, and rate calculation.
- Addresses complexities of comorbidity and specific risk factors influencing mental disorder development.
Key Insights:
- Documents the "healthy warrior" effect, where deployed Marines exhibit fewer mental disorders than non-deployed counterparts.
- Highlights an exception for stress disorders, which were not lower in deployed Marines.
Outlook:
- Suggests future research directions to further understand the "healthy warrior" effect.
- Emphasizes the need for standardized methodologies in military mental health research.
Related Concept Videos
01:18Models of Health Promotion and Illness Prevention II
The person's health status fluctuates continually, varying from being in good health to becoming ill and returning to being healthy. To understand the concept of illness prevention, there are two models. First, the health-illness continuum model is a graphic representation of an individual's wellness. It states that a person is considered healthy in the absence of physical disease and the presence of good emotional health.
The agent-host-environment model states that disease results from...
The agent-host-environment model states that disease results from...
01:25Models of Health Promotion and Illness Prevention I
A model is a theoretical way to understand a concept or an idea. Models can overcome barriers to health regardless of diverse economic and cultural backgrounds. In addition, models make the task easier by providing different ways to approach complex issues. There are two major health promotion models: the health belief model and the health promotion model.
The health belief model (HBM) attempts to predict health-related behavior in specific belief patterns. According to the HBM, a person's...
The health belief model (HBM) attempts to predict health-related behavior in specific belief patterns. According to the HBM, a person's...
01:33Whole Body Regeneration
Regeneration is the process of restoring injured or lost tissues, organs, or body parts. While simpler organisms generally show greater ability to regenerate their whole body, few complex animals show similarly exceptional regeneration. For example, planarian flatworms have a unique regenerative potential making them a popular study organism among biologists to understand the mechanisms of whole body regeneration. Other organisms, such as hydra, also show extreme regeneration potential; even...
01:26Levels of Health Promotion and Illness Prevention
Health promotion allows a person to control the determinants of health, resulting in an improved health status. It enhances the quality of life and reduces premature deaths. Health promotion and illness prevention programs help people make beneficial choices to reduce the risk of disease and disabilities. There are three health promotion and illness prevention levels: primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention.
In primary prevention, actions taken before disease onset prevent the disease from...
In primary prevention, actions taken before disease onset prevent the disease from...
01:29Concepts of Health and Illness
Health is a condition of the body, mind, and spirit where an individual remains free from illness. Similarly, wellness is an active state, including living a lifestyle that promotes physical, mental, and emotional health. Physical health is critical for the overall well-being and can be affected by lifestyle, activity level, diet, and behavior. The highest attainable standard of health is a fundamental and universal human right. Consider Lisa, a fifteen-year-old born with congenital...
01:21Health Literacy
Health literacy is an individual's or a community's capacity to comprehend, receive, read, and use relevant healthcare information and services. The World Health Organization (WHO, 2018) defines health literacy as the cognitive and social skills that determine the ability of individuals to gain access to, understand, and use information in ways that promote and maintain good health. As a result, the WHO helps individuals manage long-term health concerns, participate in preventative programs,...