Importantly, a number of the factors that emerged as significant correlates of organizational commitment in this study are potentially modifiable. These factors include confidence regarding promotions, positive perceptions of Corpsman training, and occupational self-efficacy. It is recommended that military leaders and policy-makers take concrete steps to address these factors, thereby strengthening organizational commitment among Corpsmen. Further research is needed to identify ways in which organizational commitment could be strengthened among Corpsmen.
Introduction Sleep disturbance is prevalent among service members; however, little is known about factors that compromise sleep in unique operational environments, such as naval ships. Given the importance of sleep to health and performance, it is critical to identify both causes and potential solutions to this serious issue. The objective of this qualitative study was to elucidate the barriers to sleep and the strategies service members use to improve their sleep and combat fatigue while living and working aboard ships (i.e., underway). Methods and Materials Interviews were conducted with 22 active duty service members assigned to sea duty. The semi-structured interview guide assessed the experiences of service members sleeping in shipboard environments. Interview transcripts were analyzed using applied thematic content analysis by two independent coders. Results Participants were largely male (77.8%) and enlisted (88.9%). The most common barrier to obtaining sufficient sleep was stress, followed by rotating schedules, and environmental factors (e.g., noise and light). Additionally, many participants reported prioritizing other activities over sleep when off duty. Many participants did not report using any specific strategies to improve their sleep while underway. Among those who did, most described mitigating environmental barriers (e.g., noise-cancelling headphones or sleep masks). However, some participants also acknowledged these strategies are not always feasible, either attributable to cost or because sailors must be able to respond to alarms or commands. Notably, few sailors reported using stress mitigation or relaxation strategies to help sleep. Ingesting caffeine was the only strategy sailors reported using to alert themselves while fatigued. Conclusions Service members reported many unique barriers to sleep in the shipboard environment, yet many did not report the use of strategies to mitigate them. Further, few used alerting techniques when fatigued. This at-risk population could benefit from targeted educational interventions on sleep-promoting behaviors, prioritization of sleep, and fatigue mitigation.
Optimizing case management (CM) services increases service member readiness at home and abroad. However, little research has been conducted on the experiences of case managers providing services to military families within the Military Health System. Semistructured qualitative interviews were conducted to explore the professional experiences of case managers to identify factors that may affect care to military families. A total of 53 case managers from military medical treatment facilities (MTFs) varying in size, location, and branch of service were interviewed by telephone to explore their perspectives. Qualitative content analysis was performed. Case managers serve a variety of functions, but specific roles vary between MTFs. Factors that affect CM services for military families were identified: (1) need for pediatric specialization, (2) heavy workload, (3) appropriate staff, (4) patient handoffs, and (5) the role of CM. Recommendations for improving CM services to facilitate the well-being of military families are discussed.
Introduction Sleep disturbance is prevalent among service members; however, little is known about factors that impede sleep in unique operational environments, such as aboard naval ships. Given the importance of sleep to health and performance, identifying both causes and potential solutions to sleep disturbance is critical. The objective of this qualitative study was to elucidate barriers to sleep and the strategies U.S. Navy sailors use to improve their sleep and combat fatigue while underway. Methods Interviews were conducted with 22 active duty service members assigned to sea duty. The semi-structured interview guide assessed the experiences of service members sleeping in shipboard environments, including the strategies used to improve sleep and combat fatigue. Interview transcripts were analyzed using applied thematic content analysis by two independent coders. Results Most participants were male (91.8%) and enlisted (95.5%). The most commonly reported barrier to sleep was stress (e.g., job-related stress), followed by rotating schedules, and environmental factors (e.g., noise, light). Many reported prioritizing other activities over sleep when off duty. Though only a few reported specific strategies to improve sleep while underway, strategies that were described primarily included mitigation of environmental barriers (e.g., noise-canceling headphones or sleep masks). However, some participants acknowledged these strategies are not always feasible (e.g., cost, reduced responsiveness to alarms or commands). Notably, few sailors reported using stress mitigation or relaxation strategies to help sleep. Caffeine intake was the only reported strategy for alerting when fatigued. Conclusion Sailors reported many barriers to sleep that are unique to the shipboard environment, yet most did not report using any mitigation strategies. Further, few used alerting techniques (other than caffeine) when fatigued. This at-risk population could benefit from targeted educational interventions covering sleep-promoting behaviors, prioritization of sleep, and fatigue mitigation. Support This work was supported by the Military Operational Medicine Research Program, Early Assessment and Intervention Working Group, under work unit no. N1702.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.