Citation

Bricknell M. BMJ Mil. Health 2020; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Affiliation

Conflict and Health Research Group, King's College London - Strand Campus, London, UK martin.bricknell@kcl.ac.uk.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, BMJ Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1136/bmjmilitary-2020-001439

PMID

32327466

Abstract

This paper describes a framework for understanding military combat mental health based on the possible mental ill-health consequences of exposure to 'potential trauma events' for members of the armed forces and after their military service as veterans. It uses a life course approach that maps an individual's mental well-being against four 'states': fit, reacting, injured and ill. It then considers five categories of factors that influence the risk of mental illness from this exposure based on research evidence; prejoining vulnerability, resilience, precipitating, treatment and recovery. This framework offers a structure to debate current knowledge, inform policy and therapeutic interventions, provide education and to guide future research into the subject.

© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2020. Re-use permitted under CC BY. Published by BMJ.

Language: en

Keywords

mental health; occupational & industrial medicine; psychiatry