Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35674143›Full record

SynthesisOccupational medicine (Oxford, England)2022

Military service and alcohol use: a systematic narrative review.

A K Osborne, G Wilson-Menzfeld, G McGill, M D Kiernan

Erratum issuedAbstract readSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Occupational medicine (Oxford, England), 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. An erratum has been issued. Cited by 17 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
17citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

17 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. Article
  8. Report from the WPA Section on Military Psychiatry.World psychiatry : official journal of the World Psychiatric Association (WPA) · 2025
    Article
  9. Article
  10. Article
  11. Co-Design of an Ecosystem of Services to Support Veteran Well-Being and Reduce Excessive Alcohol Consumption.Health expectations : an international journal of public participation in health care and health policy · 2025
    Article
  12. Article
  13. Cognitive reappraisal moderates the effect of combat or other exposures on negative behavioral health symptoms.Military psychology : the official journal of the Division of Military Psychology, American Psychological Association · 2024
    Article
  14. Decreasing alcohol use among young adults presenting for service in the U.S. Air Force: An epidemiological surveillance study.Military psychology : the official journal of the Division of Military Psychology, American Psychological Association · 2024
    Article
  15. Article
  16. Article
  17. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

A K OsborneNorthern Hub for Veterans and Military Families Research, Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Northumbria University, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, UK.ORCID 0000-0003-2203-7106
G Wilson-MenzfeldNorthern Hub for Veterans and Military Families Research, Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Northumbria University, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, UK.
G McGillNorthern Hub for Veterans and Military Families Research, Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Northumbria University, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, UK.
M D KiernanNorthern Hub for Veterans and Military Families Research, Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Northumbria University, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, UK.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundDespite research highlighting the role of alcohol in military life, specifically in relation to mental health and certain combat experiences, there is no synthesised evidence looking at the relationship between military service and alcohol use.

aimsTo synthesize and examine evidence exploring the relationship between military service and alcohol use.

methodsSix databases were examined across a 10-year period. Papers were included if they involved a military population and focused on alcohol use. From 4046 papers identified, 29 papers were included in the review.

resultsMilitary characteristics and experience were linked to high levels of alcohol use across military populations. Societal and cultural factors also played a role in alcohol use in military populations. Predatory behaviour of alcohol establishments, pressures to conform, an acceptance of alcohol use, and the role of religious services and military affiliated social networks were all considered. Excessive drinking impacted physical and mental health. Those diagnosed with PTSD and associated symptoms appeared to have greater alcohol use.

conclusionsThis review identified certain characteristics and experiences of military service that are associated with higher levels of alcohol use. It is important to identify risk factors for alcohol misuse to develop appropriate policy, targeting prevention.

Indexed as

Mental Health ServicesMilitary PersonnelStress Disorders, Post-TraumaticAlcohol DrinkingHumansMental HealthRisk FactorsAlcohol drinkingmilitary healthmilitary personnelreview

Identifiers

PMID35674143
PMCPMC9272263

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.