Mental health articles

loss productivity from substance abuse Research in both civilian and military settings shows a clear relationship between substance abuse and productivity loss. Military concerns over substance abuse by military personnel emerged during the 1970s with the recognition of the problem of
drug use among troops during the Vietnam War. These concerns intensifi ed following the 1981 crash of a military plane on the fl ight deck of the aircraft carrier Nimitz.

Autopsies of 14 Navy personnel killed in the crash showed evidence of marijuana use among 6 of the 13 sailors and nonprescription antihistamine use by the pilot.
The fi nal conclusion was that the illicit drug use may have been a contributing factor in the accident. In response, DoD initiated its policy of zero tolerance accompanied
by mandatory drug testing for all military personnel. Illicit drug use in the past month among the military personnel subsequently decreased from 28 % in 1980 to 2 % from 1992 to 2002, although it has since increased, primarily due to increases in prescription drug misuse. Prescription drug misuse, or nonmedical use of these drugs, increased between 2002 and 2008, while rates of illicit drug use excluding prescription drug misuse continued at the low rates
observed in 2002 around 2 %. The observed increase in prescription drug misuse was largely driven by high rates of abuse of pain medications. Of note, misuse of prescription drugs to relieve pain suggests a very different motivation for use than that of getting “high” typically associated
with illicit drug use. Nonetheless, it may point to different but equally concerning issues of pain and pain management among these personnel.
The Department of Defense has struggled with issues of productivity loss related to alcohol abuse in terms of reduced readiness and higher force management costs in addition to increased medical costs and judicial expenses incurred because of excessive alcohol use. Concerns over alcohol abuse among military personnel also emerged during the 1970s and have intensifi ed over time with the growing recognition
of the signifi cance of the impact of alcohol abuse on military productivity loss.
Several studies have documented the impact of excessive alcohol use on productivity loss among military personnel . For example, Mattiko et al. found a curvilinear dose–response relationship with productivity loss and drinking levels. Higher levels of drinking were associated with higher rates of alcohol problems, but problem rates were notably higher for heavy drinkers who showed over twice the rate of self-reported productivity loss than moderate/heavy drinkers. To be sure, alcohol abuse in the military is a complex issue that appears related to the military’s culture of heavy drinking, reduced
prices for alcohol on military installations, use of alcohol to relieve work- related stress, and increased use associated with deployment, deployment liberty, and combat exposure.

Tags: substance abuse