Deployment-Related Factors, Mental Health, and Suicide: Review of the Literature.

摘要

The relationship between military deployment, mental health, and suicide is complex. The purpose of this paper is to provide a review of the scientific literature pertaining to deployment-related factors that have been associated with risk for mental health problems and suicide. The potential adverse impact of military deployment on mental health and suicide-related ideation and behaviors is expected to be precipitated by an interaction between the service member's pre-existing biopsychosocial vulnerabilities, experiences during the time of deployment, and post-deployment adjustment and reintegration. Factors including deployment length, number of deployments, and location of deployment can serve as additional determinants of deployment- related mental health problems including suicidal thinking and behaviors. Primary and specialty care providers serving military populations can greatly benefit from better understanding potential deployment-related factors associated with favorable and unfavorable mental health outcomes among service members. Furthermore, additional research on this topic is needed and researchers are encouraged to consider various conceptual models in explaining the path between deployment and the onset, maintenance, or exacerbation of mental health problems and suicidality among military personnel.