Soldiers' personal technologies on deployment and at home

Area of Science:

• Military Health
• Technology Adoption
• Digital Health Interventions

Background:

• Personal technologies are widespread in civilian life, offering potential for health resource dissemination.
• Little is known about personal technology use among U.S. military service members.
• Understanding technology use is crucial for developing military-tailored health interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a comprehensive survey on personal technology use, availability, and needs within the U.S. military.
• To assess technology use patterns during deployment versus at home stations.
• To identify optimal technologies for disseminating psychological health resources.

Main Methods:

• A paper-and-pencil survey was administered to 331 active Army service members in 2010-2011.
• Participants included soldiers with prior deployment experience and those without.
• The survey covered computers, internet, phones, mobile devices, gaming, and media consumption.

Main Results:

• Service members exhibit high rates of personal technology use at home, mirroring civilian consumer behavior.
• Internet, gaming, and TV were commonly used during deployment.
• Cell phone use during deployment was more limited due to availability, connectivity, and regulations.

Conclusions:

• Military personnel are highly engaged with personal technologies, presenting opportunities for digital health.
• Technology use patterns differ significantly between home and deployment settings.
• Findings will guide researchers and developers in targeting effective technologies for military psychological health.