Mental Health - The Armed Forces

Question 1

MH AF 2015 Requirement

Answer 1

In 2015 it became a requirement for all prisons to ask whether new inmates have served in the armed forces

Question 2

MH AF Reporting in Prison Arrival

Answer 2

On arrival into prison, ex-service personnel were as likely as the general prisoner population to report problems around issues such as alcohol (17%) and mental health (15%)

Question 3

MH AF Depressed personnel

Answer 3

Ex-service personnel are more likely to report feeling depressed or suicidal on arrival into prison (18% compared to 14%)

Question 4

MH AF Criminal Justice system

Answer 4

Compared to those who have not served, ex-service personnel in the criminal justice system are more likely to present with anxiety disorders and hazardous drinking patterns and less likely to present with schizophrenia and substance misuse.

Question 5

MH AF Suicide Rate in the general population

Answer 5

The annual suicide rate for the uk armed forces is significantly lower than the uk general population

Question 6

MH AF Suicide over last 20 years

Answer 6

Male suicide rates over the last 20 years are: 10 per 100,000 in the Army, 8 per 100,000 in the Naval Service, 5 per 100,000 in the RAF

Question 7

MH AF Suicide rate for age 16-59

Answer 7

In 2017, the suicide rate among males aged 16-59 years in the uk armed forces was 9 per 100, 000 compared to 19 per 100,000 in the uk general population

Question 8

MH AF aged 24

Answer 8

The risk of suicide for men aged 24 or younger who have left the armed forces is between two and three times higher than for men the same age who haven’t served in the military.

Question 9

MH AF Suicide Risk younger

Answer 9

Suicide risk is associated with younger age at discharge, male gender, army service, lower rank, not being married and length of service of 4 years or less

Question 10

MH AF LGBT+ Identification

Answer 10

Ex-service personnel who identify as LGBT+ are more likely to have suicide thoughts and attempt suicide, than those who do not identify as LGBT+

Question 11

MH AF Serving Percentages of Self harm with Serving Personnel

Answer 11

4.2% of serving personnel and 6.8% of ex-service personnel report ever having self-harmed compared to 7.3% in the general population

Question 12

MH 27

Answer 12

Self harm is more common in ex-service personnel, young people, women, LGBT+ community, prisoners, asylum seekers, and people who have experienced physical,emotional or sexual abuse

Question 13

MH 28

Answer 13

Reported rates of self harm in the uk armed forces remain low at 3.1% per 1000 personnel in 2017/18

Question 14

MH 29

Answer 14

Between 2010/2011 - 2017/2018, those at higher risk of self harm in the uk forces were: Army personnel, females, non-officer ranks, personnel aged under 25 and untrained personnel

Question 15

MH 30

Answer 15

Between 2010/2011 and 2017/2018 trhere were more self harm incidents in the army than in the navy or RAF.

Question 16

MH 31

Answer 16

Risk factors for self harm reflect those of the general population - they are not deployment related

Question 17

MH 32

Answer 17

Using alcohol or drugs increases the risk of self harm

Question 18

Mh 33

Answer 18

People who identify as LGBT+ are at increased risk of developing anxiety disorders

Question 19

MH 34

Answer 19

The symptoms of adjustment disorder include: Depressed mood, behaviour changes, outbursts of violence, anxiety, worry, feeling unable to cope or plan ahead or continue in the present situation and difficulty in day to day living.

Question 20

MH 35

Answer 20

The symptoms of adjustment disorder arise gradually, within a month after a stressful event. They rarely last longer than six months

Question 21

MH 36

Answer 21

Adjustment disorders accounted for 30% of all mental disorders in the armed forces in 2018/2019

Question 22

MH 37

Answer 22

Rates of adjustment disorders in the uk armed forces were significantly higher than for all other mental disorders between 2007/8 and 2015/16

Question 23

MH 38

Answer 23

Higher rates in the armed forces vs the general population may reflect the impact of service life with routine postings and operational tours

Question 24

MH 39

Answer 24

In 2018/19. PTSD accounted for 7% of all mental disorders diagnosed in the uk armed forces personnel, with the highest percentages in the army and royal marines.

Question 25

MH 40

Answer 25

In 2018/19 PTSD risk increased by 170% for service personnel previously deployed to Iraq and/or Afghanistan.

Question 26

MH 41

Answer 26

Diagnosis of PTSD in the uk armed forces remained low at around 2 in 1000 personnel in 2018/19

Question 27

MH 42

Answer 27

A study if 100 women caring for a partner with service related PTSD found: 45% misused alcohol, 39% had depression, 37% had anxiety and 17% showed symptoms of PTSD.