Substance use disorders in the U.S. Armed Forces, 2000-2011.

Area of Science:

• Military Health
• Substance Use Disorders
• Public Health Surveillance

Background:

• Drug misuse poses significant health risks and impacts military readiness.
• Substance Use Disorders (SUDs) are a critical concern within military populations.
• Understanding trends in SUDs is vital for effective military health policy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the incidence and trends of SUDs among service members from 2000 to 2011.
• To identify demographic and occupational factors associated with SUD diagnoses.
• To examine trends in specific substance use and inform drug testing strategies.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of incident SUD diagnoses (excluding alcohol/tobacco) in 70,104 service members.
• Examination of incidence rates based on age, time in service, rank, combat deployments, and occupation.
• Analysis of substance-specific incidence rates and trends over the study period.

Main Results:

• SUD incidence decreased with increasing age, time in service, rank, and combat deployments.
• Combat occupations showed higher SUD rates (1.2x) compared to healthcare/administration.
• Cannabis and cocaine rates declined, while "mixed/unspecified/other" and opioid rates increased, with a notable rise in opioid diagnoses possibly linked to prescription drug misuse.

Conclusions:

• SUD incidence in the military is influenced by experience and occupation.
• The rise in opioid-related diagnoses highlights potential prescription drug misuse concerns.
• Expanded DoD drug testing for hydrocodone and benzodiazepines addresses emerging trends.