The Self-perceived Mental Health Status and Factors That Influence the Mental Health of Chinese Submariners in the South China Sea: A Cross-sectional Study

Abstract

ABSTRACT Introduction To assess the self-perceived mental health of soldiers and officers in the submarine force in the South China Sea, the result of this investigation was compared to the Chinese military male norms, and the factors that influence their mental health was further explored. Materials and Methods A total of 580 male submariners agreed to participate. In the final analysis, 511 valid questionnaires were included; 69 incomplete questionnaires were excluded. The Symptom Checklist 90 (SCL-90) was used to measure the self-perceived mental health of the officers and soldiers. Results The scores of four dimensions (somatization, anxiety, phobic anxiety, and paranoid ideation) and the average of the total SCL-90 scores for the submarine force in the South China Sea were significantly higher than the Chinese military norms. Age and length of service were found to be protective factors, with 26- to 30-year-old age group (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 0.365, 95% CI = 0.138-0.961) and individuals with 6 to 10 years of service (AOR = 0.357, 95% CI = 0.151-0.842) having lower odds of poor mental health. Education level (bachelor’s degree) and workplace (nuclear submarine) were found to be risk factors. Conclusions This study demonstrates for the first time that soldiers and officers in the submarine force in the South China Sea are exposed to a number of mental health risks and are suffering from serious psychological problems. These findings provide a basis for military departments to effectively address these psychological problems.