The health status of women and men in the Navy and Marine Corps: Findings from the 1995 perceptions of Wellness and Readiness Assessment.

Abstract

Abstract : This study was designed to produce prevalence estimates of a broad range of physical and mental disorders and potential risk factors in Navy and Marine Corps women and men and to make comparisons among and between military populations and civilians. A comprehensive, self-report questionnaire survey was administered to a two-stage, stratified probability sample of 9,859 active-duty, shore-based Navy and Marine Corps personnel worldwide. Although relatively low rates of disorder were found in the military populations examined, female Sailors and Marines, similar to civilians, tended to have higher rates of physical and mental illness, poorer perceptions of their health status, and greater health care and medication use than their male counterparts. Women reported more psychosocial risk factors, such as greater stress, less social support, and a lower quality of life than men. They were more likely to have been abused prior to service entry and be concerned with their weight. A few chronic physical conditions, such as anemia and migraines, were found to be more prevalent among this military sample than reported among civilians. Navy women perceived themselves to be healthier and less stressed than Marine Corps women.