Veterans represent approximately 3% of the Canadian adult population.  Females are an increasing proportion of actively serving military members with  expanding roles in combat-related activities. Research and policies to support all Veterans should incorporate considerations of sex differences.

What is this Research About?

This paper examines various self-reported health indicators in male and female Veterans, including mental health conditions and chronic problems such as back pain. Comparisons are made between male and female Veterans, and also to their Canadian counterparts.

What did the Researchers Do?

The researchers examined data of health indicators  from the 2016 Life After Service Studies which surveyed Regular Force Veterans who released between 1998 and 2015. To draw comparisons with the general population, data from the  2015–16 Canadian Community Health Survey were also analyzed.

What did the Researchers Find?

Both male and female Veterans were more likely than their Canadian counterparts to report:

• fair or poor health and mental health
• needing help with one or more activity of daily living
• lifetime suicidal ideation
• health issues such as back problems, pain, arthritis, migraines, hearing problems,
  cancer, gastrointestinal problems, and mental health conditions.

Within the Veteran population:

• male Veterans were more likely than females to report hearing problems and cardiovascular disease
• female Veterans were more likely than males to report migraines; mood and anxiety disorders; needing help with activities of daily living; and gastrointestinal disorders.
• these sex differences are similar to those that exist among the Canadian general population
• in addition, some similarities between male and female Veterans were not observed in other Canadians, including similar rates of fair or poor mental health, lifetime suicidal ideation, arthritis, asthma, lifetime cancer incidence, and chronic pain, and diabetes

Source

Hall AL, Sweet J, Tweel M, et al. Comparing negative health indicators in male and female veterans with the Canadian general population. BMJ Mil Health Published Online First: 30 August 2020. doi: 10.1136/bmjmilitary-2020-001526

https://militaryhealth.bmj.com/content/early/2020/08/28/bmjmilitary-2020-001526