Advancing knowledge about the health issues of Australia’s defence personnel and veterans

Dr Annabel McGuire, Elliroma Gardiner and Catherine Runge

The University of QueenslandCentre for Military and Veterans’ Health (CMVH)

Understanding the impact of Understanding the impact of military deployment on families: military deployment on families:

An Australian studyAn Australian study

Tuesday 10th August 2010 – Presentation to the 13th Annual Force Health Protection Conference

Advancing knowledge about the health issues of Australia’s defence personnel and veterans

Background of Family Studies

• Department of Veterans’ Affairs Family Study Program (launched 2007)Vietnam Veterans’ Family Study

• To identify any intergenerational effects of Vietnam service

Timor-Leste Family Study 2009-11

• To understand the effects of deployment on Australian

Defence Force (ADF) families from a recent

deploymentThe Timor-Leste Family Study is part of the Department of Veterans’ Affairs Family Study Program

Advancing knowledge about the health issues of Australia’s defence personnel and veterans

Current literature on families & deployment

The Timor-Leste Family Study is part of the Department of Veterans’ Affairs Family Study Program

• Studies in the current international literature indicate that deployment has adverse effects on families

• However, individual and social resources are shown to intensify or ameliorate these effects

• Not a comprehensive literature• Few Australian studies

Advancing knowledge about the health issues of Australia’s defence personnel and veterans

• To determine what, if any physical, mental or social health impacts there are on a service member’s family from the member’s deployment to Timor-Leste

• To identify any risk and protective factors that influence the ability of military families to cope with deployments

The Timor-Leste Family Study is part of the Department of Veterans’ Affairs Family StudyThe Timor-Leste Family Study is part of the Department of Veterans’ Affairs Family Study Program

Research Aims

Advancing knowledge about the health issues of Australia’s defence personnel and veterans

1. Timor-Leste Deployment2. Physical Health3. Mental Health4. Family Health5. Child Health6. Social Health7. Risk and Protective factors

The Timor-Leste Family Study is part of the Department of Veterans’ Affairs Family Study Program

Measures of interest

Advancing knowledge about the health issues of Australia’s defence personnel and veterans

Methodology

The Timor-Leste Family Study is part of the Department of Veterans’ Affairs Family Study Program

Advancing knowledge about the health issues of Australia’s defence personnel and veterans

Focus Group participants

• 17 participants, female, aged 20-52 years• 82% married to the ADF member• 47% with children under 18 years of age• 13 of 17 were partners of Army personnel• Partner deployments to Timor-Leste,

Middle East, South Pacific & Africa

The Timor-Leste Family Study is part of the Department of Veterans’ Affairs Family Study Program

Advancing knowledge about the health issues of Australia’s defence personnel and veterans

The Deployment Cycle

The Timor-Leste Family Study is part of the Department of Veterans’ Affairs Family Study Program

Pincus, SH, House, R, Christenson, J & Adler, LE

cumplex Family ystems Model

Pre-Deployment (several weeks to a year)

Characterised by denial and anticipation of loss

mmon experiences included: long training hours for tary member, getting affairs in order, mental and

physical distance and arguments

eployment (1st month)

haracterised by a roller er of emotions and may be easant and disorganised.

mon experiences included: mixed emotions/relief, soriented/overwhelmed,

numb/sad/alone

Sustainment (from 2nd month)

racterised by establishing new sources of support and new routines.

Common experiences included: relying on new urces of support, establishing new routines and

eling more in control, independent and confident.

Redeployment (Last month)

is the last month before return – characterised by ntense anticipation, often with mixed emotions.

Common experiences included: anticipation of ecoming, excitement, apprehension, energy bursts

and difficulty making decisions.

Post-Deployment (3-6 months after)

rts with homecoming and time frame varies from family to family.

mmon experiences included: honeymoon period, s of independence for the spouse, need for one’s n space, renegotiating routines and reintegrating

into the family

sk & Protective Factors

Social support friends, family, military unit, military

community, local communityCommunication with deployed memberAge and stage of life pregnancy, children, ages of children

Personal circumstance k t t f il t l

sitive outcomes of deployment

creased Autonomy

sonal development

Strengthening of relationships

Where to next

Complete qualitative analysis

ntegrate findings into quantitative survey

Conduct questionnaire

Final report to Department of Veterans’Affairs mid-2011

ong term aim

To assist the Department of Veterans’Affairs and other key stakeholders in understanding any implications of the research findings for their programs and service delivery.

• www.cmvh.org.au• www.dva.gov.au

• families@cmvh.org.au• healthstudy@dva.gov.au• 1800 708 335 (Australia)

Questions?