Combat exposure and behavioral health in U.S. Army Special Forces

PLoS One. 2022 Jun 28;17(6):e0270515. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0270515. eCollection 2022.

Abstract

Although combat has been found to be associated with adverse health outcomes, little is known about the impact of specific combat exposures, particularly among specialized personnel. This study examined the association of different types of combat exposures with behavioral health outcomes, and whether these associations differed by Army occupational specialization: General Purpose Forces infantrymen (n = 5,361), Ranger Qualified infantrymen (n = 308), and Special Forces personnel (n = 593). Multivariable regression models estimated the association of combat severity, type of combat event (fighting, killing, threat to oneself, death/injury of others), and type of killing with mental health disorders, trouble sleeping, and problem drinking. Combat severity, each type of combat event, and killing noncombatants were associated with adverse health outcomes after adjusting for covariates and other combat exposures. Except for trouble sleeping, these associations did not differ by occupational specialization, though the prevalence and odds of outcomes were generally lower for Special Forces personnel.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Alcoholism*
  • Humans
  • Psychiatry*
  • Specialization

Grants and funding

The Millennium Cohort Study is funded through the Defense Health Program, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Research and Development, and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Patient Care Services under work unit no. 60002. Leidos, Inc and Innovative Employee Solutions provided financial support in the form of authors’ salaries (ACR, CAL, AC, SW). The funders had no role in the study design, collection of the data, analysis of the data, decision to publish, or writing of the manuscript.