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General practitioners' approach to malingering in basic military training centres.
Alper Tunga Kokcu1,2, E Kurt3
1Primary Health Care Centre, Gendarmerie Training Battalion Command, Canakkale, Turkey.
Journal of the Royal Army Medical Corps
|June 10, 2016
Summary
Military physicians frequently suspect malingering but rarely diagnose it officially, often using alternative methods. This underestimation highlights challenges in military healthcare and suggests administrative measures to deter malingering behavior.
Area of Science:
- Military Medicine
- Healthcare System Analysis
Background:
- Malingering, defined as the abuse of health service benefits, presents a significant challenge in military healthcare settings.
- The prevalence of malingering is estimated to be higher in compulsory military service contexts, ranging from approximately 5-25%.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the frequency of malingering cases within Basic Military Training Centres (BMTCs).
- To describe the behaviors and attitudes of military physicians towards recruits suspected of malingering.
Main Methods:
- A descriptive study involving 17 general practitioners from nine BMTCs in Turkey.
- Data collected via a 30-question online survey assessing physician characteristics, attitudes, and behaviors towards malingering; 15 physicians responded (88.2% response rate).
Main Results:
- All participating physicians suspected malingering in some examined soldiers, with 80% suspecting it in at least 10% of patients.
- Only 13.3% of physicians had officially diagnosed malingering, and none reported every suspected case officially.
- Physicians frequently employed alternative procedures instead of official malingering diagnoses.
Conclusions:
- Malingering is often underestimated and overlooked in military healthcare systems due to diagnostic difficulties.
- Practical administrative measures could be beneficial to discourage malingering behavior among susceptible soldiers.
- Addressing malingering is crucial for the integrity of the military healthcare system.
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