USE OF INPATIENT PSYCHIATRIC-SERVICES ON A UNITED-STATES-ARMY COMBAT SUPPORT POST DURING OPERATIONS DESERT-SHIELD AND DESERT-STORM - THE STRESS OF NON-DEPLOYMENT

We studied the utilization of inpatient psychiatric services during Op erations Desert Shield and Desert Storm (the Persian Gulf War of 1990- 1991) on a U.S. Army combat support post. Inpatient psychiatric admiss ions and dispositions for the post's catchment area were tallied befor e, during, and after Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Subjec ts included active duty soldiers (deployed soldiers were not studied w hile they were away from the post), their families, and retirees. Over all, there was no increase in psychiatric hospitalizations for active duty soldiers, their family members, or retirees. However, coincident with the return of soldiers from Operations Desert Shield and Desert S torm, the psychiatric proportion of all hospitalizations increased in the subpopulation of soldiers not deployed who had served less than 1 year. These soldiers in training may be more susceptible to increased stress levels associated with the return of soldiers from war because of their inadequate group bonding.