EPIDEMIOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS

VALUE

Our epidemiological investigative research provides empirically-based information about factors associated with development and persistence of psychological and behavioral problems. We also study factors that protect against military personnel developing these problems.

Our research supports the development of interventions that promote health and reduce the risk of psychological or behavioral health problems. It also assists with creating interventions that reduce symptoms and promote return to health in service members with psychological or behavioral health problems.

GOALS

• Identify critical risk and protective factors for developing and sustaining psychological and behavioral health problems.
• Develop screenings to identify service members at greatest risk of developing psychological and behavioral health problems.
• Disseminate information about current incidence and prevalence of psychological and behavioral health problems among service members.
• Use information gained to inform the development of innovative interventions to promote health and readiness.

CAPABILITIES

• Access to population-level military medical and personnel records, as well as military survey data
• Partnerships with line leadership and academic partners to maximize relevance and research excellence
• Development and implementation of large-scale longitudinal survey research
• Use of complex statistical methods to identify risk and protective factors for negative psychological, behavioral, and physical health outcomes

CURRENT RESEARCH

• Longitudinal analysis of survey and archival military data to identify risk factors for workplace violence among active-duty service members
• Creation and validation of an improved suicide screening tool based on surveys of patients in military primary care settings
• Analysis of pre-military factors associated with Marines’ resilience following combat deployment
• Use of population-level medical archival data to identify conditions commonly comorbid with PTSD among service members