Enhancing Social Work Research on Military Women's Health

摘要

The psychosocial health and well being of military women remains a criticalreadiness issue and there are many aspects of military duties, military operational environments, and military service across individual and family lifestages that warrant continued study. The DWHRP grant to IASWR resulted in important initial accomplishments, including the identification of specific areas of needed research and possible mechanisms for military civilian academic research partnerships. Three interrelated issues underlay the rationale and need for the activities carried out under this grant. First, there are increasing numbers of women serving in the Armed Services in expanding occupational roles. Women's service in these roles raises numerous physical and psychosocial health related concerns. Second, social workers are major providers of a broad range of health and support services for military women and their family members. Thus, social workers are in a strategic position to identity critical research questions and to conduct research that will enhance the effectiveness of health and quality of life services for military women (as well as men). Third, there is a critical need to expand research capacity in the social work profession, including a need to increase opportunities for collaboration between practitioners and researchers conducting applied research.