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December 12, 2013

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PTSD twice as likely in private security workers

 

Rates of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are higher in private security contractors than in UK military personnel according to a new report.

The RAND Corporation undertook a survey-based study on the health and wellbeing of private military and security contractors (PMSCs). It is the largest study to date to examine the physical and mental health status and health care use among PMSCs. It is also the first of its kind to examine the issue among all PMSCs.

The report concluded that PTSD rates are more than double for PMSCs, compared to UK military personnel. Very few private security organisations have psychological support mechanisms in place for their workers — those that do fare better in terms of their contractors’ mental health.

The report outlines the measures an organisation can take to mitigate mental health risks, including the introduction of a peer support programme.

Professor Neil Greenberg , an academic psychiatrist at King’s College London and leading UK expert in traumatic stress (including PTSD), is the founder of psychological health consultancy March on Stress.

He said: “The psychological health of this important occupational group has previously been under-researched given that they perform an important role in highly challenging conditions. Importantly, as the report states, the majority of security contractors have previously served their nations in the Armed Forces and thus the public should rightly be interested in their mental health. The results of the report show clearly that those who work in the industry report more mental health problems than do their military counterparts who are still serving in the Armed Forces.”

Many contractors report being poorly supported by the organisations who are making use of their services, according to the report. 

“The results strongly suggest that security companies, and those who employ security companies, should do more to ensure that they mitigate the psychological risks associated with working in the industry,” said Professor Greenberg. “I also welcome the suggestions for further research into this topic to ensure that improved support provision is effective.”

The survey was open to contractors of all nationalities who had deployed on contract to an area of conflict at any point from 2011-2013, and covered topics such as military history, contractor work history, experience working on contract in a conflict zone, health status, health care use, and demographic information.

 

What makes us susceptible to burnout?

In this episode  of the Safety & Health Podcast, ‘Burnout, stress and being human’, Heather Beach is joined by Stacy Thomson to discuss burnout, perfectionism and how to deal with burnout as an individual, as management and as an organisation.

We provide an insight on how to tackle burnout and why mental health is such a taboo subject, particularly in the workplace.

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