Sense of coherence among Finnish young men--a cross-sectional study at military call-up.

The aim of this study was to study associations between sense of coherence (based on Antonovsky's theory), and mental health problems, the use of mental health services, substance use, predisposition to suicide and possible psychiatric diagnosis among Finnish young men. The study included 2314 18-year-old young men who attended military call-up in autumn 1999 and completed the 13-item Orientation to Life Questionnaire (SOC-13) questionnaire (89.1% of the study sample attending military call-up). Furthermore, all young men had a medical examination at military call-up, including evaluation of possible psychiatric disorder. Suicidality, perceived mental health problems, psychiatric diagnosis at military call-up medical examination, use of mental health services, excessive alcohol consumption and use of illicit drugs were identified as independent factors associated with sense of coherence. Sense of coherence is a valuable construction in psychiatric evaluation of adolescents. SOC-13 can be used both in clinical practice and in epidemiological research to evaluate the adolescent's health resources. Future research on its applications in clinical practice is warranted.