|
Abstract:
Data from the 2000 Air Force Community Needs Assessment were used to assess the significance and strength of the effects of job characteristics and social supports on mental health service utilization. In this study, mental health services included anger management, mental health, stress management and substance abuse services. Job stressors were hypothesized to increase service utilization. Social support was hypothesized to decrease service utilization and buffer the effects of job stressors. Four job stressors were used: shift work, long work hours, frequency of deployments, and length of deployments. Social support was evaluated on five levels: family support, community integration, co- worker support, supervisor support, and support by superiors. Family support was measured in terms of being accompanied by family members and family instability (conflict and doubt). Co-worker support was measured in terms of co- worker conflict. Logistical regression was used in analyzing the predictive strength of job stressors and social supports on mental health service utilization. No main effects were found for job stressors. For social support, significant predictors of service utilization were family instability (OR = 1.293), co-worker conflict (OR = 0.975), community integration (OR = 1.208) and supervisor support (OR = 0. 813). High family instability and high co-worker conflict emerged as the strongest risk factors for using mental health services. Additional analysis using ordinary least squares regression showed job stressors to have small direct effects on social support and marginal indirect effects on mental health service utilization. Additional risk factors included being female, being enlisted, and being first-term personnel.
| Limitations: |
 APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE |
| Description: |
Doctoral's thesis |
| Pages: |
144 |
| Report Date: |
APR 2004 |
| Report Number: |
A821324 |
|
|
|
|
|
Keywords relating to this report:
Email This Abstract
