Mental health problems have been found to be associated with multiple socioeconomic factors and physical health conditions. Understanding the extent of these problems among serving and former military personnel helps the development of effective policies, programs and services to support their well-being.  

What is this Research About?

This report builds on earlier findings from the 2013 Life After Service Studies (LASS), describing the mental health findings in more detail. It is a comprehensive reference document for program and policy developers to ensure their work supports Veteran mental health and well-being. 

What did the Researchers Do?

The researchers analyzed data collected in the LASS 2013 survey, which included several mental health measures such as PTSD symptoms, a psychological distress scale, self-rated mental health, and the three most common types of diagnosed mental health conditions. These measures were assessed against a variety of characteristics and indicators.

What did the Researchers Find?

Most Canadian Veterans released since 1998 had good mental health but some had challenges:

• Regular and deployed Reserve Force Veterans were more likely to have mental health problems than the general Canadian population. Non-deployed Reserve Force Veterans were no different from other  young adult Canadians.
• Diagnosed mental health conditions were reported by:
  • 24% of Regular Force Veterans
  •  17% of deployed Reserve Force Veterans
  • 9% of non-deployed Reserve Force Veterans
  • With respect to the current mental health of Regular Force Veterans:
  • 16% of Regular Force Veterans had fair/poor self-related mental health
  • 13% had moderate or severe psychological distress
  • 17% had diminished mental health-related quality of life
  • Mental heath problems in Veterans were associated with multiple factors including socioeconomic and military characteristics; coping and satisfaction levels; physical health status; and disability
• Veterans with the most complex mental health problems are participating in programs/supports offered by Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC)
• Suicidal ideation was most prevalent in Veterans with diagnosed mental health conditions and therefore particularly among VAC clients
• Those with mental health conditions reported a more difficult adjustment to civilian life
• Mental health problems range in severity -  for example, of Veterans with diagnosed conditions, 30% had severe degrees of psychological distress, while 34% had low psychological distress scores

Source

Thompson JM, VanTil L, Sweet J, Poirier A, McKinnon K, Dursun S, Sudom K, Zamorski M, Sareen J, Ross D, Hoskins C, Pedlar D. Canadian Armed Forces Veterans: Mental Health Findings from the 2013 Life After Service Survey.  Charlottetown PE: Research Directorate, Veterans Affairs Canada.  Research Directorate Technical Report. Charlottetown.  19 March 2015   http://publications.gc.ca/site/eng/9.808501/publication.html