Occupational Stress and Psychiatric Illness in the Military: Investigation of the Relationship Between Occupational Stress and Mental Illness among Military Mental Health Patients

OBJECTIVE: This was a pilot study aimed at gathering preliminary data on the relationship between occupational stress and mental illness among military personnel. The primary goal of this study was to determine to what extent military mental health patients report suffering from significant occupational stress. METHODS: Eighty-five active duty military mental health outpatients at the Wilford Hall U.S. Air Force Medical Center mental health clinic answered a 65-item survey that included items on the perception of occupational stress and reported life changes. Participation in this cross-sectional study was anonymous, voluntary, and random. The 85 participants represent 83% of those surveyed and approximately 10% of the clinic's total population of military mental health outpatients. The survey incorporated the 43-item Schedule of Recent Experiences (SRE). By adding the weighted values assigned to the 43 items, each respondent was given an SRE score, which is a measure of overall stress that has been shown to be predictive of future illnesses. RESULTS: A majority (60%) reported suffering from significant work stress. A majority (52%) reported that work stress was causing them significant emotional distress. Almost half (42.5%) reported that work stress was a significant contributor to the onset of their mental illness. The average SRE score for all respondents was 266, reflecting increased risk for future illnesses. Generic work stressors were endorsed more frequently than military-specific stressors. CONCLUSIONS: The results reveal that this population of military mental health clinic outpatients perceived that work stress had a strong negative effect on their emotional health. These results raise the possibility that work stress could be a significant occupational health hazard in the U.S. military, a possibility that warrants further investigation. By gathering additional data on the relationship between work stress and emotional health in the military, interventions can be planned to mitigate the effect of stress caused by the military work environment on the mental health of military personnel.