RESUMEN
This cross-sectional study evaluated the stress levels in Italian military personnel involved in a peacekeeping (PK) mission in Afghanistan and a homogeneous group stationed in Italy (SI group). The study was performed from April 2004 to June 2004 in a sample of 160 long-time, career volunteers of the Rossi Barracks of the Alpini di L'Aquila (Italy) (SI group, n=120; PK group, n=40). A 10-item, self-evaluation questionnaire proposed in the U.N. Stress Management Booklet was administered to each volunteer. The total item score (TIS) values for the 10 items for the two groups were calculated. These values were greater for the PK group than for the SI group for all 10 items. The TIS values were grouped into three classes of symptoms, anxiety symptoms (items 1-4), stress-induced depression (items 5-7), and posttraumatic stress (items 8-10). The class total item score (CTIS) values were then calculated as the sum of the respective TIS values. The three CTIS values for the PK group were greater than those for the SI group. In particular, the anxiety CTIS was 72 points greater in the PK group (p < 0.001). Therefore, the peacekeepers were inclined to have a greater increase in anxiety symptoms. Consequently, antipanic techniques could be used to reduce anxiety and progressive muscular relaxation training, an important preventive relaxation technique, to face stressors and to reduce clinical anxiety.
Asunto(s)
Personal Militar/psicología , Terapia por Relajación , Estrés Psicológico/terapia , Guerra , Adulto , Afganistán , Ansiedad/diagnóstico , Ansiedad/etiología , Ansiedad/prevención & control , Estudios Transversales , Depresión/diagnóstico , Depresión/etiología , Depresión/prevención & control , Estudios de Seguimiento , Humanos , Italia/epidemiología , Persona de Mediana Edad , Estudios Retrospectivos , Factores de Riesgo , Índice de Severidad de la Enfermedad , Estrés Psicológico/complicaciones , Estrés Psicológico/epidemiología , Encuestas y Cuestionarios , Resultado del TratamientoRESUMEN
The aim of this cross-sectional study was to determine the attitudes and characteristics of smoking patterns in a sample of 450 young, Italian, military men. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire. The prevalence of military smokers was 54.4%; 45.7% of military men were smokers before enrollment, whereas 8.7% initiated smoking after enrollment. In multiple logistic regression analysis, the risk of becoming a smoker was associated with "high" cultural class of the family of origin (odds ratio [OR], 1.99; 95% confidence interval [CII, 1.05-4.23), non-nuclear family types (OR, 2.56; 95% CI, 1.25-5.25), parent (OR, 1.73; 95% CI, 1.04-2.90) and sibling/partner (OR, 2.25; 95% CI, 1.45-3.50) smokers, and >12 months of service (OR, 1.39; 95% CI, 1.07-5.43). None of the other variables relative to military status was significantly associated with smoking. Because the prevalence of military smokers was very high, we think that special programs aimed at decreasing the prevalence, with the long-term goal of smoking cessation, are needed.