Comparing indicators of mental disorders among officers of the Armed Forces of Russia and the Republic of Belarus (2003–2020)

Relevance. Mental health is an important characteristic of the professional reliability of military personnel. At the same time, extreme conditions of professional activity often contribute to deterioration of their mental health and development of mental disorders.

Intention: To analyze mental health indicators in officers and warrant officers (hereinafter referred to as officers) of the Armed Forces (AF) of Russia and the Republic of Belarus for the period from 2003 to 2020.

Methodology. There were analyzed medical reports on the state of mental health of the personnel and the activities of the medical service according to Form 3 / MED in military units, where at least 80 % of officers served. Mental disorders were correlated with groups (blocks) of Chapter V “Mental and behavioral disorders” according to the International Classification of Diseases and Behavioral Disorders, 10th revision (ICD-10). Mental morbidity was calculated per 10 thousand military personnel.

Results and Discussion. Annual overall morbidity in officers with mental disorders averaged (73.31 ± 7.69) and (58.95 ± 5.44) per 10 thousand in the AF of Russia and the Republic of Belarus, respectively; primary morbidity, (26.41 ± 1.16) and (24.66 ± 2.36), respectively; hospitalizations, (21.83 ± 1.33) and (13.89 ± 1.50) (p < 0.01), respectively; work days lost, (450.6 ± 29.1) and (312.2 ± 48.0) (p < 0.05); dismissals (4.77 ± 0.59) and (2.33 ± 0.38) (p < 0.01). At the same time, polynomial trends of generalized types of morbidity showed a decrease. There was a pronounced consistency in the trends of overall and primary morbidity, hospitalizations, work days lost and dismissals among officers with mental disorders in the AF of Russia and the AF of the Republic of Belarus, thus suggesting unidirectional effects, including military professional ones. In the structure of the military epidemiological significance of mental disorders for officers of the Russian AF, the following leading disorders were revealed: neurotic stress-related and somatoform disorders (Block 5, F40–F48 by ICD-10), mental disorders and behavioral disorders associated with the use of psychoactive substances (Block 2, F10–F19), as well as organic, including symptomatic, mental disorders (Block 1, F00–F09). Their total share amounted to 81.4 %. For officers of the AF of the Republic of Belarus, the leading disorders were from Block 5, unspecified mental disorders (Block 11, F99) and personality and behavioral disorders in adulthood (Block 7, F60–F69); their total share was 80.1 %.

Conclusion. Optimization of psychoprophylactic measures focused on early detection, timely treatment of the most relevant mental disorders among officers of the Armed Forces of Russia and the Republic of Belarus will help maintain mental health and increase their professional longevity.

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