Use of the Operational Stress Injury Social Support (OSISS) Program in a Nationally Representative Sample of Canadian Active Duty Military Personnel

Abstract

IntroductionRecent research evidence indicates increased mental health needs among Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) personnel. Research evidence also indicates that a portion of CAF personnel with mental health needs do not seek professional mental health care or significantly delay initiating treatment. The current study was designed to examine individual correlates of use for a paraprofessional peer support program available to CAF personnel, veterans, and their families (i.e., Operational Stress Injury Social Support [OSISS]). Methods: Participants included 6,700 CAF Regular members. Prevalence estimates were computed for all variables of interest and hierarchical logistic regression analyses served to identify correlates of OSISS use. Results: The results indicate that meeting criteria for posttraumatic stress disorder had the strongest association with OSISS use (OR = 22.31 [95% CI = 13.36-37.28]), but only a small number of CAF personnel (1.2%) seek help from OSISS. Discussion: Results suggest that OSISS use was limited and tended to occur in conjunction with professional mental health service use. Efforts could be engaged to emphasize the availability of peer support as a resource for all operational stress injuries and to increase the reach of peer support programs for military personnel.