Components and Characteristics of a Psychiatric Partial Hospital Military Program

• Published in: Military medicine 2016-03, Vol.181 (3), p.213-218
• Main Authors: Lande, R Gregory, Pourzand, Miriam
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Afghan Campaign 2001; Afghanistan; Day Care, Medical - methods; Day Care, Medical - statistics & numerical data; Female; Hospitals, Military; Humans; Iraq; Iraq War, 2003-2011; Male; Mental Disorders - therapy; Middle Aged; Military Personnel - psychology; Military Psychiatry - methods; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; Referral and Consultation - statistics & numerical data; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0026-4075; 1930-613X
• DOI: 10.7205/MILMED-D-14-00716

This article describes the components of a psychiatric partial hospital military program and the characteristics of referrals received over the 5-year period from 2009 to 2013. The 5-year study period included ongoing combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan along with their subsequent troop withdrawals and change in mission. A total of 1,194 service members were referred for this level of care, and even with the changing battlefield conditions, the number of psychiatric referrals remained steady throughout the 5-year period, with a significant spike in admissions in 2013. The principal diagnoses were major depressive disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. One-third of the admissions came from service members with 4 to 8 years' time in service and slightly more than one-third were employed in direct combat roles or medical support. In terms of gender, females accounted for one-quarter of the admissions.