Qualitative Inquiry on the Health and Well-Being of Canadian Armed Forces Members and Veterans during Medical Release
Abstract: The transition from military to civilian life can be a difficult adjustment, particularly for those members who have medically released. However little research has been conducted to gain a nuanced understanding of the experiences of ill and/or injured Canadian members and veterans throughout the transition period. Forty-five semi-structured interviews were conducted to gain insight on the challenges that medically releasing Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members (N = 14) and medically released veterans (N = 31) encountered during their transition process. Topics explored their current health and well-being, as well as transition stressors and challenges experienced during and post-release. Transcripts of interviews were subjected to a thematic analysis. Findings demonstrated that numerous ill and injured members experienced both physical and mental health challenges, which caused significant stress and impacted their psychological well-being. The present study also highlighted the stress and challenges that participants experienced both during and after release. Common themes found for medically-releasing members were: (1) uncertainty, (2) transition process and CAF support, and (3) lack of readiness. veterans’ most common stressors related to: (1) managing their illness and/or injury, (2) managing employment, (3) pensions and disability support, and (4) finding meaning and purpose. Recommendations and implications regarding improving veteran well-being, as well as the implementation and development of various types of services and programs are discussed.
Abstract: Disordered eating is a prevalent and relevant health concern that remains understudied among U.S. military veterans. Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) is a newly recognized feeding and eating disorder characterized by overly restrictive eating due to (a) picky eating, (b) lack of appetite, and (c) fear of aversive consequences related to eating. The Nine-Item ARFID Screen (NIAS) is a recently developed ARFID screening tool with initial validation studies demonstrating psychometric support. However, the psychometric properties of the NIAS have not been investigated in a veteran sample. To advance our understanding of ARFID screening tools that may be appropriate for use in veterans, the present study examined the factor structure of the NIAS using survey data from a large national sample of recently separated veterans (N = 1,486). Measurement invariance across key subgroups was tested in addition to exploring differential associations between the NIAS and related constructs. Results suggested that a three-factor model provided an excellent fit of the data and demonstrated scalar invariance across self-identified men and women, race and ethnicity, and sexual and gender minority (SGM) identity. Some subgroups had higher latent means on the picky eating (women, SGM, non-Hispanic Black), appetite (women, SGM), and fear (women) factors. The NIAS had some overlap with another measure of disordered eating and was moderately correlated with psychosocial impairment and mental health. Overall, the NIAS may be a useful screening tool for ARFID in veterans, given support for the three proposed subscales and equivalence across diverse identities.