Rates of Behavioral Health Conditions and Health Risk Behaviors in Operators and Support Personnel in U.S. Special Operations Forces

Abstract

Objective: Rates of behavioral health disorders and potential protective factors in U.S. Special Operations Forces (SOF) have not been well studied, including differences between Operators and Support personnel, despite very high levels of combat exposure in these military personnel. The present study examined the prevalence of endorsed behavioral health problems and protective factors within a large sample of SOF personnel. Method: Anonymized data from 16,284 active duty SOF Service members from the 2016 Preservation of the Force and Family (POTFF) needs survey were analyzed. Results: Overall, the prevalence of PTSD (7.6%), depression (8.4%), alcohol misuse (12.8%), and nicotine use (28%) were comparable or lower than reported in conventional military populations. There were significant differences between Operators and Support personnel in a number of demographic and service-related variables. Operators also endorsed more direct combat exposure and scored higher on resilience and social support, and reported better quality and quantity of sleep. There were no significant group differences in rates of PTSD and depression, except lower odds (adjusted OR = 0.81) for alcohol problems in Support personnel (11.6%) compared to Operators (14.0%), p <.001, 95% CI [0.72, 0.91]. Conclusions: SOF personnel experience considerably higher exposure to combat deployments than conventional forces, yet the data from this study showed comparable or lower levels of behavioral health conditions. Although Operators were somewhat more likely than Support personnel to experience alcohol problems, they showed enhanced resilience, social support, and sleep health. Alcohol misuse is one potential target for preventive health efforts.