Understanding Military Combat Mental Health

Abstract: By its very nature, combat can have a severe impact on the physical, mental and social health of those exposed. The primary UK long-term cohort study of a sample of UK military personnel and veterans who may have served during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan has shown a prevalence of mental health symptoms of 21.9% for common mental disorders, 10% for alcohol misuse and 6.2% for probable post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD has been the most common clinical keyword in the global military medical literature between 1988 and 2017. A recent paper by the ‘5 Eyes Mental Health Research and Innovation Collaborative’ provides a comprehensive review of the international understanding of military-related PTSD. In October 2019, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) published ‘a psychological guide for leaders across the deployment cycle’ and guidelines for ‘forward mental healthcare’. This editorial summarizes current knowledge on risk factors and workplace/health interventions to prevent and treat combat mental ill-health in military populations.