Exposure to mental health training and education in Canadian Armed Forces personnel

Abstract

Introduction: The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) mental health training and education (MHTE) program seeks primarily to enhance well-being and performance through enhancement of resilience and mental health literacy. Wider dissemination of its MHTE program is a strategic priority for the CAF, but the extent of MHTE exposure and risk factors for low exposure are unknown. The objectives of this paper are (1) to describe the extent of exposure to MHTE, and (2) to explore factors associated with less exposure. Methods: The 2013 CAF Mental Health Survey ( n = 8,165) assessed exposure to MHTE in six specific training contexts. Modified Poisson regression and ordered logistic regression explored risk factors for lack of any MHTE exposure and for fewer total training hours, respectively. Results: 69.7% of respondents had exposure to MHTE over the previous 5 years. The median number of training hours in those with at least some exposure was 11 (inter-quartile range 5 to 24). Similar risk factors were identified for no MHTE exposure and for fewer MHTE hours, though the models had relatively poor predictive value. Discussion: While most CAF personnel have had at least some exposure to MHTE, the extent of exposure varies substantially, and a significant fraction have had no exposure at all. While targeting groups with low exposure identified in this analysis makes sense, the substantial variability of exposure within those groups demonstrates the need for administrative data on training exposure at the individual level on an ongoing basis.