Publication year
2012
Citation Title
Anxiety, social support, and physical health in a sample of spouses of OEF/OIF service members.
Journal Name
Military Medicine
Journal Volume
177
Issue Number
12
Page Numbers
1492-1497
DOI
10.7205/milmed-d-12-00036
Summary
Eighty-six spouses of military Service members who had been deployed participated in this study that explored the connections between mental health, social support, and physical health. Findings revealed that anxiety symptoms were related to lower social support and poorer physical health.
Key Findings
Less social support was associated with more anxiety, more physical health problems, and diminished self-perceived health.
More anxiety was associated with more physical health problems and worse self-perceived health.
Greater social support did not mitigate the relationship between anxiety and worse physical health.
Implications for Program Leaders
Provide classes for spouses of Service members that aim to increase coping behaviors in order to lessen anxiety and potentially improve health
Offer peer support groups for spouses of Service members in order to increase social support
Disseminate information to Service members and their spouses regarding possible connections between anxiety and physcial health
Implications for Policy Makers
Continue to support programs for Service members' at-home spouses during deployment
Recommend training for professionals who work with military families to educate them about the associations among anxiety, social support, and overall health
Encourage the development of programs that aim to increase social support among military spouses
Methods
Spouses of Service members who had been returned from deployment for at least one month were recruited through a national pilot trial of a telephone support group for military spouses. The pilot program had recruited spouses through several avenues, including email, in-person events, and Wounded Warrior Project referrals.
Participants completed surveys to measure anxiety, social support, and physical health.
Data were analyzed to determine relationships among anxiety, social support, and physical health.
Participants
Participants included 86 female spouses of Service members who had been deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan.
These spouses were primarily White (85%), with an average age of 37.4 years old (SD = 8.97). On average, they had been married 10.4 years (SD = 8.17), and most (62%) were married to noncommissioned officers.
Service member spouses were Soldiers (83%), Marines (8%), Sailors (6%), and Airmen (3%).
Limitations
Participants in this study opted into a trial of a telephone support program, so they may differ from other spouses in important ways that may influence results.
Because physical health and self-perceived physical health were measured by three self-report questions, participants' responses may be influenced by their anxiety regardless of any objective physical health problems.
The sample only included female spouses, so results may not extend to male spouses of Service members.
Avenues for Future Research
Examine the role of deployment on the well-being of spouses, specifically whether deployment impacts the associations among anxiety, social support, and physical health
Replicate these findings with a larger and more representative sample of military spouses
Examine the efficacy of programs designed to increase social support among Service member's spouses
Focus
Multiple Branches
Target Population
Population Focus
Military Branch
Military Component
Abstract
The goal of this study was to examine the relationships between heightened anxiety, social support, and physical health in a sample of spouses of returning Iraq and Afghanistan service members. 86 spouses were recruited nationally as part of a pilot trial of a military spouse telephone support group. Participants completed measures of physical and mental health via telephone including a screening tool for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). Scores for social support and health outcomes were compared across two groups (positive vs. negative screens for GAD) using one-way analysis of variance analysis procedures. Path analytic techniques were used to evaluate the relative effects of anxiety and perceived social support on overall health and physical health comorbidities. A total of 38 participants screened positive for GAD. Participants with probable GAD reported having less social support than those screening negative for GAD. GAD participants also reported poorer overall health and more physical health comorbidities than their GAD-negative counterparts. Path analysis indicated that heightened anxiety is associated with worse overall health and social support does not buffer this interaction. The results suggest that anxiety-related health is a critical factor to be addressed in spouses of service members.
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