Socioecological Model of a Military Family’s Health and Well-Being: Inside a Slovenian Military Family

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to analyze the ecosystem of a military family, focusing on the risk factors that influence their health and well-being on various socioecological levels (individual, micro, meso, and macro). We develop a theoretical model of health outcomes and risk factors and test it empirically using quota sampling of 460 respondents from military families in Slovenia. Thirty-three regression models were calculated to measure the impact of theoretically defined risk factors on the health outcomes of military families. Surprisingly, a long daily commute, one of the most military-specific factors in Slovenian society, is viewed more positively than negatively. Moreover, risk factors related to the family on the micro and individual levels, such as poor financial situation or parental stress, are responsible for the greatest impact on military family health. Meanwhile, spouses report that military work-related stress affects the servicemembers’ overall health and increases the possibility of intimate partner violence.