Introduction. The mental health of Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) populations emerged as an important concern in the wake of difficult CAF deployments in the 1990s. This article is the first comprehensive summary of findings from subsequent surveys of mental health and well-being in CAF Veterans, undertaken to inform mental health service renewals by CAF Health Services and Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC). Methods. Epidemiological findings in journal publications and government reports were summarized from four cross-sectional national surveys: a survey of Veterans participating in VAC programs in 1999 and three surveys of health and well-being representative of whole populations of Veterans in 2003, 2010, and 2013. Results. Although most Veterans had good mental health, many had mental health problems that affected functioning, well-being, and service utilization. Recent Veterans had a higher prevalence of mental health problems than the general Canadian population, earlier-era Veterans, and possibly the serving population. There were associations between mental health conditions and difficult adjustment to civilian life, physical health, and multiple socio-demographic factors. Mental health problems were key drivers of disability. Comparisons with other studies were complicated by methodological, era, and cultural differences. Discussion. The survey findings support ongoing multifactorial approaches to optimizing mental health and well-being in CAF Veterans, including strong military-to-civilian transition support and access to effective mental and physical health services. Studies underway of transitioning members and families in the peri-release period of the military-to-civilian transition and longitudinal studies of mental health in Veterans will address important knowledge gaps.
Perceptions of bias in an impartial media have been consistently documented among partisan audiences. It is argued that this phenomenon is grounded in the processes associated with a group identity that evoke cognitive differentiation between the in-group and the out-group and motivate in-group bias. Bosnian Serb and Muslim partisans and a group of nonpartisan controls responded to media coverage of the 1994 Sarajevo market bombing. Results indicated a strong hostile media effect. This effect was associated with in-group identification and cognitive differentiation between groups, the latter of which appeared to mediate the effect of identification. The extent to which the hostile media effect is a mechanism for enhancing a positive and distinct in-group identity was further supported by self-serving perceptions concerning which group was responsible for the bombing. It was suggested that the hostile media phenomenon reflects a form of in-group bias.
Introduction: Suicide risk is higher in Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) Veterans than the Canadian general population (CGP). Suicidality is understood to be caused by incompletely clarified, complex interacting combinations of multiple factors. One of the precipitating factors for suicide is thought to be the social identity challenges known to occur in major life transitions. Methods: The 2016 Life After Service Studies survey representatively sampled Regular Force Veterans stratified by two release groups: earlier in 1998 to August 2012 ( n = 1,575) and more recently in September 2012 to 2015 ( n = 1,180). The linked dataset included socioeconomic and military characteristics and well-being indicators in multiple domains. Weak group identity was indicated by weak sense of local community belonging and/or not feeling part of a group with shared attitudes and beliefs. Associations were evaluated with multiple logistic regression. Results: Suicidal ideation, weak community belonging, and perceived difficult adjustment to civilian life were more prevalent in Veterans soon after release (September 2012 to 2015) than in Veterans released earlier (1998 to August 2012). Suicidal ideation and weak community belonging were more prevalent in the Veterans than in the CGP. In the more recently released Veterans, weak group identity was endorsed by the majority with suicidal ideation (93.3%). In adjusted regression models, mental health problems had the strongest association with suicidal ideation (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 13.4–79.3); however, weak group identity was moderately strongly associated with both difficult adjustment (AOR = 2.4–4.1) and particularly suicidal ideation (AOR = 3.8–9.0), independently of mental health problems. Discussion: Weak group identity was associated with difficult adjustment to civilian life and suicidal ideation in CAF Regular Force Veterans within 3.6 years after military release. These findings indicate the importance in suicide prevention of attending to social identity during transition to post-military life.
Introduction: Analyses of the Canadian Armed Forces Transition and Well-Being Survey (CAFTWS) were conducted to identify the most prominent challenges faced by Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) Veterans during their military to civilian transition, and to assess the importance of various characteristics, including release category and health status, as risk factors for experiencing such challenges. Methods: Prevalence estimates and logistic regression analyses were computed on data from the CAFTWS, which was administered in 2017 to 1,414 Regular Force Veterans released from the CAF in the previous year. Results: Two of seven perceived transition challenges had the strongest associations with difficult post-military adjustment: the loss of military identity (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 5.4) and fi nancial preparedness (AOR = 2.3). In adjusted regression analyses, Veterans who had non-commissioned rank, who had primarily served in the army, had 10-19 years of service, had a medical release, and had poor physical or mental health, were more likely to report loss of military identity. Veterans who had junior non-commissioned rank, a medical release, and poor physical or mental health were more likely to report challenges with financial preparedness. Furthermore, we observed significant interaction effects between Veterans' release type and their health status. Discussion: This study extends prior research to inform ongoing efforts to support the well-being of CAF members adjusting to post-service life. Findings emphasize the importance of preparing transitioning service members and civilian communities for the social identity challenges they may encounter. Findings also support the value of programs and services that help prepare transitioning service members with managing fi nances, finding education and employment, relocating, finding health care providers, and understanding benefits and services.
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