Citation

Chang HA, Shiah IS, Chang CC, Chen CL, Huang SY. J. Med. Sci. (Taipei Taiwan) 2008; 28(1): 15-25.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2008, Wolters Kluwer MedKnow)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to analyze the clinical data of Taiwanese conscript soldiers who were prematurely discharged from service due to mental illness and identify factors predictive of psychiatric hospitalization leading to subsequent separation from service.

METHODS: We retrospectively collected medical records of conscript soldiers who were prematurely discharged from service due to mental illness from September 2003 to September 2004. Their demographic data, clinical characteristics, the distribution of main psychiatric diagnoses for medical discharge, and psychiatric comorbidities were registered and statistically described. Furthermore, all participants were subdivided into inpatient and outpatient groups, and the differences between both groups examined.

RESULTS: During the one-year period, 463 (24.2%) conscript soldiers were prematurely discharged from service due to psychiatric disorders. The first four psychiatric diagnoses for medical discharge were major depression, mental insufficiency, bipolar II depression, and personality disorder. Adjustment disorder and substance use disorder were the common psychiatric comorbidities. The common methods used in suicide attempts after enlistment included drug ingestion, wrist cutting, and carbon monoxide poisoning. There were many significant differences between the inpatient and outpatient groups. Several variables were significantly predictive of psychiatric hospitalization and subsequent separation from service: specific main psychiatric diagnoses, service on offshore islands, family psychiatric history, the presence of a substance-use disorder, postenlistment suicide attempts, and higher educational levels.

CONCLUSIONS: Our study indicated that depressive disorders were the major psychiatric problems to be dealt with in Taiwanese conscript soldiers. Further work is warranted to investigate the role of mental illness in the early attrition of Taiwanese voluntary soldiers. Copyright © 2008 JMS.

Language: en

Keywords

adult; human; female; male; depression; education program; suicide attempt; major depression; bipolar depression; comorbidity; Taiwan; risk factor; Military psychiatry; substance abuse; article; major clinical study; social adaptation; mental disease; personality disorder; carbon monoxide intoxication; statistical significance; mental patient; soldier; family history; hospital patient; psychiatric diagnosis; work disability; demography; Psychiatric disorders; military service; Conscript soldiers; Premature discharge