Soldier attitudes toward mental health screening and seeking care upon return from combat

Abstract

Objective: This study examined soldier attitudes about postdeployment mental health screening, treatment, barriers to care, strategies for overcoming barriers, and settings, personnel and timing for conducting postdeployment mental health screening. Methods: Deploying soldiers participated in a voluntary anonymous survey. Results: Of 3,294 soldiers, 2,678 (81.3%) responded to the survey. When the three most endorsed perceived barriers to mental health care (negative perception by unit members, negative perception by leaders, and being viewed as weak) were examined, ∼15% fewer soldiers endorsed the perceptions, compared with a previous study conducted at the beginning of the war. Receipt of training focused on managing psychological problems associated with increased agreement to seek treatment. Participants endorsed surveys, interviews, and unit providers as preferred instruments and providers for postdeployment screening. Soldiers endorsed encouragement from family members and friends as the preferred approach to reducing barriers to mental health care. Conclusion: Extensive educational programs seemed to have reduced the stigma related to receiving mental health care. Programs that focus on friend and family member encouragement of soldiers to seek mental health assistance should continue. Postdeployment screening should be conducted under conditions in which soldiers are most likely to report problems honestly.