Alcohol Use and Alcohol-Related Problems Before and After Military Combat Deployment

Jacobson, Isabel G., Ryan, Margaret A., Hooper, Tomoko I., Smith, Tyler C., Amoroso, Pail J., Boyko, Edward J., Gackstetter, Gary D., Wells, Timothy S., Bell, Nicole S.REPORT DATE: AUG 2008
http://www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD=ADA493267&Location=U2&doc=GetTRDoc.pdf


Concern has grown over the health of US service members returning from deployment in support of the way Afghanistan. High rates of alcohol misuse after deployment have been reported among personnel returning from past conflict focusing on alcohol misuse after returning from the current conflicts are lacking. The Millennium Cohort Study is a population-based longitudinal study designed to evaluate any long-term effect. Our analyses included 48 481 participants with complete outcome and demographic data who also completed both baseline surveys. Outcomes were new-onset of heavy weekly drinking potential binge drinking and other alcohol-related problems. Men and women who were deployed and reported combat exposures were significantly more likely to experience alcohol outcomes compared with nondeployed personnel. Deployment with combat-related exposures appears to increase the risk of new-onset of heavy weekly drinking and other alcohol-related problem! s. Continued prospective analyses of these data are essential to understand how influence short- and long-term alcohol use patterns.