U.S. Army Mortuary Affairs Soldiers: Predeployment Traumatic Exposures, Mental Health, and Substance Use

Area of Science:

• Military medicine
• Occupational health
• Trauma psychology

Background:

• U.S. Army Mortuary Affairs (MA) soldiers handle deceased personnel in war zones.
• They face unique stressors including violent death, human remains, combat, and deployment-related issues.
• Understanding predeployment health is crucial for managing deployment and postdeployment well-being.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine predeployment traumatic exposures, mental health status, and substance use among MA soldiers.
• To establish a baseline of MA soldiers' characteristics before deployment.
• To identify potential risk factors for future mental health issues.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of 968 MA soldiers completed self-report questionnaires 1-2 weeks before deployment between 2005-2019.
• Measures included combat experiences, PTSD (PCL-17), depression (PHQ-9), suicidal ideation (SI), and substance use (CAGE).
• Analyses involved descriptive statistics and comparative tests between previously deployed and non-deployed soldiers.

Main Results:

• 36.9% reported dead body exposure, 28.0% reported combat exposure prior to deployment.
• Prevalence rates included 7.8% for past-month PTSD, 6.7% for major depression, and 7.2% for SI.
• Previously deployed soldiers showed significantly higher rates of exposures, PTSD, depression, SI, and substance use compared to those not previously deployed.

Conclusions:

• Predeployment exposures and mental health issues in MA soldiers are significant risk factors.
• Targeted predeployment screening and care can address the needs of soldiers with pre-existing psychiatric conditions.
• Future research should investigate postdeployment outcomes in relation to these predeployment factors.