Health related quality of life among military personnel: what socio-demographic factors are important?

Health related quality of life (HRQOL) is an important indicator of health status. Knowledge about factors related to HRQOL among military personnel may assist in designing programs to maximize their fitness and readiness for action when called upon. The aim of present study was to assess the HRQOL of military personnel in Iran, compare it to that of other populations in Iran and the U.S., and identify socio-demographic variables related to HRQOL in Iranian military personnel. Using a cross-sectional design, 502 male military personnel were recruited across the country. The SF-36 health survey was used to assess health status and demographic characteristics. Student t-test and multiple regression analysis were used to examine the associations between socio-demographic variables and HRQOL. Subscale scores on the SF-36 were also compared to those in the general population. The mean age of participants was 33.0 (SD, 6.8) with an average working experience of 13.5 (SD, 6.2) years. Physical functioning was higher than other components of HRQOL. The mean scores for physical and mental subscale scores were 46.1 (8.6) and 46.6 (9.7), respectively. Significant differences were found on subscale scores of HRQOL between participants and the general population (p < 0.01). Variables such as age, marital status, disease history, and health status were associated with several components of HRQOL. These findings should assist in the development of programs to enhance HRQOL among military personnel, and underscore the need for further research to better understand the components of health status in soldiers and other military personnel.