Profile of psychiatric disorders in the Sri Lanka Air Force and the outcome at 6 months.

The epidemiology of mental disorders in the Sri Lanka Air Force is not known, although they have been engaged in front line military service in a civil war for the past two decades. This study aims to identify the mental health needs of military personnel as a means to resource development. Referrals to a specialist psychiatry outpatient service were studied to assess the profile of diagnoses and outcome after 6 months. Fifty percent suffered from adjustment disorder or a stress reaction. In a majority, the onset of the mental health problem was not caused by direct exposure to the war situation. There was a high rate of return to work at 6 months. However, a disproportionately high loss of personnel was seen in the new recruits and trainee soldiers. These data are useful in developing services and resources for mental health care for the workforce.