Suchergebnisse

Background: The transfer of care between different health and social care systems are often associated with poor outcomes and disengagement. Indeed, following the transition from military to civilian life, ex-service personnel report difficulties in navigating civilian health and social care services. Personal healthcare records are associated with a number of benefits, including improved continuity of care and patient empowerment. As such, this pilot project aimed to assess the benefits of the Veterans Universal Passport (VUP) in supporting UK ex-service personnel accessing NHS services. Methods: In-depth semi-structured interviewed were carried out with eight participants (3 ex-service personnel, 2 carers, 3 health and social care professionals) who had used the VUP. Interviews explored the benefits, challenges and unmet needs associated with the VUP. A thematic analysis was used to identify themes within this framework. Results: Participants felt that the VUP improved continuity of care and promoted a feeling of control over care. The military-specific nature of the VUP promoted a sense of identify and provided a 'support scaffold' for navigating the complexities of the civilian healthcare system. Challenges included awareness amongst health and social care professionals, and engagement of users. All participants suggested development into a digital application. Conclusions: Findings suggest that the VUP had a positive impact on veterans access to civilian health and social care services, highlighting that it provided a much-needed structure to their journey through treatment. Considering the parallels with other health and social care transitions, translation for other populations may be beneficial.

Despite media interest in alleged sexual violence and harassment in the UK military, there remains a paucity of UK-based peer-reviewed research in this area. Ministry of Defence and service-specific reports support the suggestion that UK service personnel may be at risk of experiencing sexual harassment. These reports however highlight a reluctance by service personnel to report sexual harassment through official channels. In this article, we discuss the paucity of UK-based research pertaining to the prevalence and impact of sexual harassment in the military, explore potential reasons for this gap in knowledge and outline future directions and priorities for academic research.

Introduction: Sexual violence (SV) is a globally prevalent issue, and the majority of research focuses on the historical view of SV as an act perpetrated by men against women. Same-sex sexual violence (SSSV) incidents represent a small proportion of recorded sexual offences, and therefore prevalence and consequences of this have received little attention. Male-dominated occupations, such as the military, are associated with higher rates of SV and data points to a particular vulnerability to SSSV of male service personnel (SP). Methods: This review aims to map the literature pertaining to SSSV in the military. A comprehensive scoping review methodology was adopted, following a rigorous accepted framework. Four databases were searched for English language, peer-reviewed, original research papers that were focused on SSSV in the military context. Results: Eleven papers were identified that met the criteria for inclusion; 10 originated from the United States and one from South Korea. Themes identified included prevalence and nature of SSSV in the military, characteristics of survivors and perpetrators, barriers to reporting, and the outcomes associated with SSSV in the military. Discussion: The evidence that does exist suggests that male SP are particularly at risk of SSSV, and experience poorer psychological and social outcomes due to SSSV compared to female SP and those who experience opposite-sex sexual violence (OSSV). More research is required internationally to provide accurate and up-to-date estimates of prevalence, and to account for cultural and structural differences in military organizations.

Introduction: Sexual violence (SV) is a globally prevalent issue, and the majority of research focuses on the historical view of SV as an act perpetrated by men against women. Same-sex sexual violence (SSSV) incidents represent a small proportion of recorded sexual offences, and therefore prevalence and consequences of this have received little attention. Male-dominated occupations, such as the military, are associated with higher rates of SV and data points to a particular vulnerability to SSSV of male service personnel (SP). Methods: This review aims to map the literature pertaining to SSSV in the military. A comprehensive scoping review methodology was adopted, following a rigorous accepted framework. Four databases were searched for English language, peer-reviewed, original research papers that were focused on SSSV in the military context. Results: Eleven papers were identified that met the criteria for inclusion; 10 originated from the United States and one from South Korea. Themes identified included prevalence and nature of SSSV in the military, characteristics of survivors and perpetrators, barriers to reporting, and the outcomes associated with SSSV in the military. Discussion: The evidence that does exist suggests that male SP are particularly at risk of SSSV, and experience poorer psychological and social outcomes due to SSSV compared to female SP and those who experience opposite-sex sexual violence (OSSV). More research is required internationally to provide accurate and up-to-date estimates of prevalence, and to account for cultural and structural differences in military organizations.

Women have served within the Armed Forces for over 100 years. Their contribution has been extraordinary but the prevailing military culture, together with evolving terms and conditions of Service, have left their mark on the health and well-being of many. Whilst it is right, therefore, to recognise the progress that has been made, there is a pressing need to evidence the impact of past policies and actions. This timely report is the first major step in addressing this. Almost thirty organisations, drawn from across the military charity sector as well as from statutory bodies including NHS England and NHS Improvement and the MOD, have contributed to this report. It is the first research project to consider holistically the full range of female veteran issues, uniquely capturing the lived experiences of women who have served. Perhaps most importantly, it provides an essential start point for a comprehensive evidence base that will enable debate with a level of insight and clarity that has been missing before, and which will ensure statutory and Service Charity provision is targeted accurately to meet the needs of those women who are serving and veterans. The report is clear that for many that is not yet the case, both for those in Service and for those who have transitioned to civilian lives. It is a timely warning that there is still work to do both in improving in-Service conditions to allow our servicewomen to thrive and, once they leave, for us to tailor our veteran support services to meet their specific needs. This will include the requirement to support and improve the needs of serving women, whether as partners, mothers or in different family situations, and its impact on well-being, whilst at the same time enabling military careers. A prioritised action pl an has been produced in order to a chieve real impact and create long-lasting change. Top of the list is a review of the impact on health and well-being outcomes of Service culture an d sexual harassment, issues which have long been discussed but which continue to persist, with a number of the recommendations from the recent Wigston Report yet to be fully implemented. The report also identifies considerable gaps in our understanding of how in-Service experiences impact on health, wealth, and socio-economic outcomes, and explores what further action is required. Overall, this report is unique in its breadth and depth, in the academically robust processes undertaken and in its capture of the lived experiences of female veterans from across the services and the decades. It is not an easy read. It is, however, a necessary read. By compiling the evidence, the report gives voice to our former servicewomen and sets out an irrefutable case for further and necessary cultural and policy change to improve the long-term health and well-being of those women who have served and are serving.

Military spouses face numerous challenges in obtaining employment as a result of their connection to the military. Previous research has linked military spouses underemployment to reduced well-being and satisfaction with military life, which in turn impacts on retention of the service person. In response to this the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) trialled a 2 year programme of employment support for spouses in 2015. This paper reports the findings of a qualitative evaluation of this programme and its impact on spouses. Interviews were carried out with 30 spouses and 23 of their serving partners to examine the benefits and impact of the support provided. The majority of spouses and their serving partners perceived the employment support as providing a positive contribution from the military to help spouses get back into employment or improve their employability. Additionally, spouses felt invested in by the military and valued as constituents in their own right. No impact of employment support for spouses on the intention to remain or leave the Armed Forces was identified. Longitudinal follow up will be required to determine any long-term impact of employment support on employment outcomes and retention.

In this article, we examine the representational practices of British newspapers in relation to forms of military injury. Using critical discourse analysis, we studied the reporting of injuries sustained by military personnel during the height of the UK's war in Afghanistan in 2009 – and a comparison period five years later – and concluded that representations of injured personnel differed substantially between articles reporting on 'combat' and 'non-combat' injuries. We argue that the different reporting frames work to construct a moral separation of injuries into 'heroic' (combat) and 'non-heroic' (non-combat) forms. The consequences of this hierarchisation of injury, we suggest, include the reification of 'combat' as an idealized form of masculine violence, the privileging of some soldiers and veterans over others as exemplars of national heroism, and elision of the day-to-day realities of military injury from public consciousness. Findings are discussed in relation to broader consequences for understanding heroism and the military.

Background: Poor mental health in the perinatal period is associated with a number of adverse outcomes not only for the individual but the wider family. The unique circumstances in which military spouses/partners live may leave them particularly vulnerable to developing perinatal mental health (PMH) problems. Methods: A scoping review was carried out to review the literature pertaining to PMH in military spouses/partners using the methodology outlined by Arksey and O'Malley (2005). Databases searched included EBSCO, Gale Cengage Academic OneFile, ProQuest and SAGE. Results: Thirteen papers fulfilled the inclusion criteria, all from the US, which looked a PMH or well-being in military spouses. There was a strong focus on spousal deployment as a risk factor for depressive symptoms and psychological stress during the perinatal period. Other risk factors included a lack of social/emotional support, and increased family-related stressors. Interventions for pregnant military spouses included those that help them develop internal coping strategies and external social support. Conclusions: US literature suggests that military spouses are particularly at risk of PMH problems during deployment of their serving partner, and highlights the protective nature of social support during this time. Further consideration needs to be made to apply the findings to UK military spouses/partners due to differences in the structure and nature of the UK and US military and healthcare models. Further UK research is needed, which would provide military and healthcare providers with an understanding of the needs of this population allowing effective planning and strategies to be commissioned and implemented.

In this paper, we employ the theoretical framework and concepts of Pierre Bourdieu to examine the notion of 'transition' from military to civilian life for UK Armed Forces personnel. We put Bourdieu's concepts of habitus, capital and field to work in highlighting key differences between military and civilian life. The use of social theory allows us to describe the cultural legacy of military life, and how this may influence the post-transition course of veterans' lives. There may be positive and negative transition outcomes for service personnel when moving into civilian life, and by applying Bourdieu's theoretical concepts we explain how such outcomes can be understood. We suggest that the 'rules' are different in military environments compared to civilian ones, and that service personnel must navigate a complex cultural transition when moving between environments. There are numerous and significant implications – including policy applications – from understanding transition through a Bourdieusian lens, and these are highlighted throughout.

There has been growing recognition of the impact of COVID-19 and the restrictions implemented to contain the virus on mental health. This study provides a preliminary assessment of the longitudinal impact on state anxiety in individuals with disabilities and a subsample of individuals with visual impairment (VI). Two surveys were conducted in April–May 2020 (T1) and March 2021 (T2) to explore state anxiety (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory). Participants who consented to being re-contacted were invited to take part in T2. A total of 160 participants completed T1 and T2. There were no significant group differences in median anxiety at T1; however, at T2 anxiety was significantly higher in those with disabilities and there was a trend towards being higher in participants with VI compared to those with no disabilities. While not statistically significant within any of the three subgroups, state anxiety decreased slightly in those with no disabilities. The absence of a disability affecting mobility, experiencing loneliness, and poorer sleep quality predicted state anxiety at both timepoints. While anxiety appeared to decrease in individuals with no disabilities, it remained comparatively stable, and higher in those with disabilities. Loneliness and poor sleep may need to be addressed to alleviate feelings of anxiety.

Objectives- To examine whether the U.S. military veteran population experiences improvements or declines in their health and broader well-being during the first three years after leaving military service and to document differences based on gender, military rank, and warzone deployment history. Methods- A population-based sample of 3733 newly separated veterans completed a survey within three months of separation (Fall 2016), followed by five additional surveys at six-month intervals. Weighted multilevel logistic regressions were conducted to examine changes in the proportion of veterans reporting good health and broader well-being over time. Results- Most aspects of veterans' health and broader well-being worsened over time, with a noteworthy increase in reporting of mental health conditions and a decline in veterans' community involvement. Declines in the proportion of veterans reporting good health and well-being were most notable for women, with smaller differences observed for other subgroups. Conclusions- The finding that veterans experienced worsening health and broader well-being over time highlights the need for enhanced prevention and early intervention efforts to mitigate these declines. Findings also point to the importance of attending to the unique readjustment concerns of female veterans and other at-risk subgroups.

Research has shown that visual impairment may impact daily functioning, health, and well-being negatively for adults of all ages. Ex-service personnel ('veterans') too may be at risk of poor health and well-being outcomes associated with post-military life, and this may be exacerbated by the presence of visual impairment. Despite this, research considering the experience of blind veterans has been limited and has not yet assessed well-being for these individuals across a broad spectrum of life domains. Rather, it has highlighted poor mental health and psychological well-being in working-age visually impaired veterans. However, the experiences of older visually impaired veterans (who make up the majority of visually impaired veterans in the United Kingdom) have been poorly represented in the literature. This pilot study aimed to provide a preliminary assessment of holistic well-being in an adult sample of 97 UK blind veterans, predominantly composed of older age veterans (majority over 80 years). Cross-sectional well-being data were collected using a validated measure of well-being (the Well-Being Inventory [WBI]). Results suggest that members of Blind Veterans UK are functioning well and are satisfied across four life domains (vocation, finances, health, and social relationships). Lower health satisfaction was identified, particularly in blind veterans with comorbid mental health conditions. Results are discussed in relation to the older age of the sample, the limitations of face-to-face survey administration, and the applicability of the WBI finance domain in this age cohort. Recommendations are made for future research in this population.

On the 9th of July 2021, the Rethinking Military Spouses: Critical Research Group hosted a webinar titled 'Bringing the Homefront to the Forefront: UK Perspectives on Critical Research with Military Spouses'. This report provides some information about the event and includes an overview of the main points of discussion.