Meta-analysis of risk factors for substance abuse in the US military

ABSTRACT

This article describes the results from a meta-analytic review of 55 studies and 78 independent samples containing information about the demographic, contextual, and psychological factors associated with alcohol and drug abuse among United States military personnel. In terms of demographics, results from this analysis reveal higher levels of substance abuse among personnel who are male, younger, have less education, are unmarried, and who are of a lower military rank (E1-E3). In terms of the military context, rates of substance abuse are greater for personnel with combat exposure and a recent or lengthy deployment. Finally, rates of substance abuse are higher among personnel reporting specific psychological symptoms, including negative emotionality, impulsivity, and symptoms associated with depression, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and traumatic brain injuries (TBI). This study suggests that a number of sociodemographic, psychological, and contextual factors are related to the odds that a military service member engages in high levels of substance abuse. The results provide a strong foundation for the development of interventions aimed toward vulnerable populations in the US military.

KEYWORDS:

• Alcohol abuse
• drug abuse
• substance abuse
• military
• meta-analysis

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Army Analytics Group-Research Facilitation Laboratory under contract #HHSP223201800059B/HHSP23337003.