health.mil

Traditionally, hope boxes contain sentimental items like vintage family photos, love letters and crayoned construction paper drawings of mommy and daddy.

A new mobile application on the horizon uses smartphone technology to duplicate the therapeutic benefits of the traditional coffer to help service members cope during times of high stress and crises.

The app is being developed by the National Center for Telehealth and Technology also known as T2. One of the goals of the Virtual Hope Box, says Dr. Robert Ciulla, chief of population and prevention programs for T2 is, “to help individuals who are in acute distress to access some pleasant soothing kinds of content they’ve preloaded to help them get through that distressing or traumatic experience.”

The interactive tool focuses the user on memories, such as family photos, supportive messages from loved ones and music that have been digitally preserved.  Other features of the app include relaxation and distraction modules that include a deep breathing tool, progressive muscle relaxation activities, puzzles and word search games taken directly from user content.

The National Center for Telehealth and Technology is a component center of the Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury and part of the Military Health System.

T2 offers many mobile apps related to psychological health.

If you are struggling with depression and suicidal thoughts, or know someone who is, call the National Veterans/Military Crisis Line at (800) 273-8255 (press 1), text a crisis counselor at 838255 or start an anonymous online chat to get help.

Read more about suicide prevention awareness on health.mil.

A new study suggests colleges and universities ramp up psychological health services tailored to the unique experiences of student veterans.  The study was co-authored by the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, the National Center for Veterans Studies at the University of Utah and the Student Veterans of America.

At a recent defense department Force Health Protection and Readiness symposium, M. David Rudd, PhD, Dean of the College of Social and Behavioral Science and Scientific Director of the National Center for Veterans Studies, said psychological injuries of war impact a large number of veterans and can persist well beyond separation from their military service.

“We recently started focusing on student veterans in college.  Their needs are distinctly different than other veterans,” Dr. Rudd said.  “College and university campuses will face increasing numbers of student veterans struggling with a range of psychological symptoms.”

Rudd said he does not think many existing university student health services have proper responses for veterans with psychological health concerns.  “Many universities don’t know how many veterans they have, and don’t necessarily identify expertise specific to combat-related trauma,” he said.  “I think you’ll see this [kind of training] grow in the next five years or so.”

For more information including resources on the military culture of student veterans available for providers, read the complete article, Student Veterans Key Population for Campus Health Centers to Consider, on the Force Health Protection and Readiness website.

 

“Warfighting first.  Be ready to fight and win today, while building the ability to win tomorrow.”  Navy Chief of Chaplains (Rear Adm.) Mark L. Tidd shared this creed in an interview with health.mil to underscore September’s nationwide focus on suicide prevention.

Tidd observed that the same tenets that guide decision-making among seamen of all ranks apply to achieving a state of spiritual and mental well-being.

However, the battlefield of the mind, unlike the combat environment, is a painfully private terrain for some service members.  Some of our country’s bravest men and women struggle with personal demons, perceived failures and seemingly unanswerable life questions that, in the end, leave them desperate.  This is where Tidd and others like him, working closely with service members, their loved ones and medical providers, can step in.
 
“We’re there, available, and accessible,” Tidd said, adding, “That time becomes an opportunity to have those important conversations…ones that often lead to conversations with family members.”  With a combination of scholarship and humor, the Chaplain explained, “We call that deckplate ministry because we walk the deck plates of the ship.  I call it ‘redeemed loitering’.”

For many, chaplains are known for providing religious services.  Tidd stressed, “The opportunity to practice one’s faith is a readiness issue.  The provision of religious ministry, meeting people’s religious needs is key to helping them toward resiliency.”  He added that, “We [chaplains] care for all, regardless of religious commitment, faith or no commitment.”

Additionally, spiritual counselors can work in tandem with members of the medical community to weigh options for well-rounded approaches to healing.

Tidd characterized the chaplain/physician collaboration as a partnership with the fundamental goal of achieving overall good health for the service member.

In the life of a service member, family support is crucial.  The loved ones at home who offer comfort and encouragement in the midst of a sometimes chaotic military experience are vital to a service member’s well-being. But there’s another family in the life of a service member that is intimately acquainted with the rigors associated with military service.

The military family is the one in which comrades stand shoulder-to-shoulder in operations and combat.  It is the family that shares up-close-and-personal daily challenges and it’s also the one that strives to honor the mantra to never leave a fallen service member.

Hope is always antithetical to despair. And as our brother’s keeper, recognizing the indicators that may signal trouble for a fellow service member can literally mean the difference between life and death.

The Centers for Disease Control has published a list of risk factors which will help service members recognize potential signs of danger.

• Family history of suicide
• Previous suicide attempt(s)
• History of alcohol and substance abuse
• Feelings of hopelessness
• Impulsive or aggressive tendencies
• Cultural and religious beliefs (e.g., belief that suicide is a noble resolution of a personal dilemma)
• Isolation, a feeling of being cut off from other people
• Loss (relational, social, work, or financial)
• Unwillingness to seek help because of the stigma attached to mental health and substance abuse disorders or to suicidal thoughts

Visit www.RealWarriors.net for additional information and resources.

The Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury is hosting a webinar, “PTSD 101: Education for the Civilian Health Care Provider Treating Service Members,” on Aug. 23, from 1 to 2:30 p.m. EDT.

Published studies state that 10–17 percent of service members self-report significant post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms following deployment. Additionally, the Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center reports the prevalence of clinically diagnosed PTSD in returning Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom service members is 2.4 percent.  Consequently, health care providers have a unique opportunity to identify, treat, monitor and refer patients with PTSD, increasing the chance that patients receive help.

Webinar organizers say this session will enhance civilian health care providers’ knowledge of PTSD and treatment options for service members and veterans.

Continuing education units and continuing medical education credits are available.

Register for the webinar.

 

 
A new program lends support to the families of deployed members of the National Guard and Reserve by helping them lead healthier, more active lifestyles.   First Lady Michelle Obama and the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition have announced the new fitness initiative in support of America’s National Prevention Strategy as well the First Lady’s initiatives, Let’s Move! and Joining Forces.

The program partners with trade associations representing fitness professionals and health clubs.  The associations are providing free services such as personal training, fitness instruction and free 6-month health club memberships for certain family members of deployed Reservists and National Guard members.   Clubs may also provide additional benefits such as childcare, children’s programming, group classes, discounts for veterans, and discounts for active duty families.

Service members and their families can learn more online about this effort and find participating fitness instruction. They can also find participating clubs online.

For more information about Joining Forces and how military families can lead healthier and more active lifestyles, visit the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition. 

American Council on Exercise
International Health Racquet & Sportsclub Association

 

Anyone unfamiliar with the dangers associated with secondhand tobacco smoke might think wisps of smoke dissipating in the air around them are harmless.  But reports from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Partnership as well as those from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention link the inhalation of secondhand smoke to a number of negative health consequences.

 

Research shows children, the most defenseless population, are among those at risk.  The prevalence of infections, increased and severe asthma attacks, respiratory symptoms and even the threat of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) are increased through exposure to secondhand smoke.

 

The detrimental impact of secondhand smoke on health may not always be evident.  For instance, a 2009 study by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) found that breathing secondhand smoke has harmful repercussions on the cardiovascular system that can increase the likelihood of heart attack for non-smoking adults. Those diagnosed with heart disease are at especially high risk.

 

There is, however, some good news in the research.  The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report a decrease in exposure to secondhand smoke over the last 20 years due to the growing number of laws that ban smoking in workplaces and public areas.  The increase in the number of households with smoke-free home rules also drives down the incidence of secondhand smoke-related illnesses.

 

Learn more about the effects of secondhand smoke from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control.

Get a fact sheet on secondhand smoke and more resources at the Quit Tobacco—Make Everyone Proud educational campaign.

 

 

The Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury is hosting the webinar, "Intimate Partner Violence: What Health Care Providers Need to Know," on June 28 from 1 to 2:30 p.m.

 

This webinar addresses the impact of intimate partner violence (IPV) on victims' psychological health and identifies appropriate screening methods for signs of abuse. Additionally, the webinar examines the relationship between IPV and post-traumatic stress disorder, emphasizing provider-level strategies for addressing IPV perpetration.

 

Continuing education units and continuing medical education credits are available.

 

Register for the webinar.

 

 

Secretary of Defense Leon E. Panetta talked about suicide prevention with military, mental health, government and private sector professionals at the DOD/VA Annual Suicide Prevention Conference in Washington, D.C. last week.

 

“Just as we helped foster the jet age, the space race and the Internet, I want us to break new ground in understanding the human mind and human emotion,” Panetta said.  With the clarion call for innovation, he introduced a four-pronged approach to combatting the challenges of service member and veteran suicide.

 

First, said the secretary, “An effective suicide prevention strategy requires vigilance.” Panetta implored military leadership to remain attentive to signs that may signal trouble.  Secondly, he expressed that improvement to behavioral health care and greater accessibility are critical to help service members, veterans and their families with services they require.

 

The third strategic component is to elevate mental fitness.  Panetta stressed that increased effort on mental fitness should be equivalent to the level of emphasis that the Department of Defense places on physical fitness.  Lastly, the fourth prevention strategy incorporates improved understanding of suicide and related mental health issues through greater scientific research.

 

Concluding, Panetta commanded, “All of us, and frankly for that matter all Americans, have to always support and care for those who have stepped forward to defend our country in uniform. “We are a family, and by God we have to take care of our family members.”

 

 Read the entire article here.

 

 

This Father’s Day is June 17 and there’s no greater gift than good health.   A post from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services says a few easy changes to daily routines can lead to longer, healthier lives.  First, make sure you’re getting enough sleep.  Just one extra hour of sleep can improve your mood and overall health. A well-rested body makes it easier to make good exercise and diet decisions too. 

There are many more simple tips to help prevent disease and keep you living a long life.

Read the U.S. Health and Human Services post.

Learn more about men’s health resources for the military community.