1
|
Ellis JM, Estevez Burns RA, Blue Star JA, Patience MA, Brown LN, Ruggieri J, Joiner AV, Little MA, Talcott WG. A social-ecological examination of sleep among Airmen in technical training. Mil Psychol 2024; 36:311-322. [PMID: 38661470 PMCID: PMC11057661 DOI: 10.1080/08995605.2023.2177470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2022] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023]
Abstract
Inadequate sleep is an on-going risk to the health and mission readiness of U.S. Armed Forces, with estimates of sleep problems high above U.S. civilian populations. Intervening early in the career of active duty Air Force personnel (or "Airmen") with education and the establishment of healthy behaviors may prevent short and long term-detriments of sleep problems. This paper describes the results of a qualitative study seeking to understand the facilitators and barriers to achieving good sleep in a technical training school during the first year of entry into the United States Air Force. Using the social ecological framework and content analysis, three focus groups with Airmen were conducted to explore themes at the individual, social, environmental, and organizational/policy level. Overall, results indicated a cohort motivated to achieve good sleep, and also struggling with a number of barriers across each level. This paper highlights opportunities for population health interventions during technical training aimed at supporting Airmen in developing healthy sleep behaviors early in the course of their career.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- J. M. Ellis
- Wilford Hall Ambulatory Surgical Center, 59 Medical Wing, Joint Base San Antonio- Lackland, United States Air Force, Arlington, Virginia
| | - R. A. Estevez Burns
- Wilford Hall Ambulatory Surgical Center, 59 Medical Wing, Joint Base San Antonio- Lackland, United States Air Force, Arlington, Virginia
| | - J. A. Blue Star
- Wilford Hall Ambulatory Surgical Center, 59 Medical Wing, Joint Base San Antonio- Lackland, United States Air Force, Arlington, Virginia
| | - M. A. Patience
- Malcolm Grow Medical Clinics and Surgery Center, 316 Medical Group, Joint Base Andrews, United States Air Force, Arlington, Virginia
| | - L. N. Brown
- 412 Medical Group, Edwards Air Force Base, United States Air Force, Arlington, Virginia
| | - J. Ruggieri
- 5 Medical Group, Minot Air Force Base, United States Air Force, Arlington, Virginia
| | - A. V. Joiner
- 71 Medical Group, Vance Air Force Base, United States Air Force, Arlington, Virginia
| | - M. A. Little
- School of Medicine, Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia
| | - W. G. Talcott
- Wilford Hall Ambulatory Surgical Center, 59 Medical Wing, Joint Base San Antonio- Lackland, United States Air Force, Arlington, Virginia
- School of Medicine, Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia
| |
Collapse
|