Mental disorders and mental health problems, active component, U.S. Armed Forces, 2000-2011

Area of Science:

• Military Health
• Psychiatry
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Mental disorders represent a significant burden on military personnel, impacting health, service, and overall well-being.
• There has been a documented increase in the demand for mental health services within the active component of the military.
• Previous reports indicate a rising trend in mental health diagnoses among service members.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze trends in mental disorder diagnoses among active component service members from 2000 to 2011.
• To identify specific mental disorders contributing to the increased diagnosis rates.
• To examine demographic factors associated with higher rates of mental disorder diagnoses.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of diagnostic data for active component service members between 2000 and 2011.
• Calculation of annual counts and rates of incident mental disorder diagnoses.
• Stratification of diagnoses by disorder type and demographic variables (sex, age).

Main Results:

• A total of 936,283 active component service members received at least one mental disorder diagnosis between 2000 and 2011.
• Annual incident diagnoses of mental disorders increased by approximately 65% over the study period.
• Adjustment disorders, depressive disorders, anxiety disorders, and post-traumatic stress disorder were the primary drivers of this increase.
• Females and service members under 30 years of age exhibited higher rates of incident mental disorder diagnoses.

Conclusions:

• The findings confirm a substantial rise in mental disorder diagnoses within the active military force.
• The increase is largely attributed to specific conditions like adjustment, depressive, anxiety, and PTSD.
• Targeted detection and treatment strategies for mental health issues are crucial, particularly for female service members and those under 30.