People Who Are on The Frontlines of Trauma are Unaware of
Their Risk Factors for Serious Health Conditions
TORONTO, Sept. 21, 2017 /CNW/ -- Eighty percent of
military servicemembers and first responders believe they are
vulnerable to health issues, but many have difficulty seeking and
receiving the help they need from doctors, family, friends and the
larger community. The Healthy Heroes survey, sponsored by Johnson
& Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) and conducted by Harris Poll,
queried 239 Canadian military servicemembers and first responders
and 501 members of the general public about their knowledge and
attitudes related to the health of these frontline heroes.
Stressed, But Otherwise Healthy, They Say
While
stress (42%), mental illness (40%), and sleep disorders (37%) are
cited as top job-related concerns amongst military servicemembers
and first responders, 83% feel they are in good, very good, or
excellent health. Still, 66% report at least one serious health
issue, including chronic pain, metabolic disorders and heart
disease.
Research shows these populations are at risk for several health
conditions1-4, however, military servicemembers and
first responders do not associate the stress and sleep issues they
are reporting as potentially contributing to the chronic conditions
for which they are at risk.5-8 According to the Healthy
Heroes survey, while three in five military servicemembers and
first responders know that stress and sleep disorders (62% and 59%
respectively) can impact their overall health, few (25% and 23%
respectively) are receiving care for these issues from a healthcare
professional.
"It is clear these courageous individuals recognize the stress
inherent in their jobs, but they may not necessarily link that
stress to the associative risk for other serious health issues --
both psychological and physiological," says Husseini Manji, MD, FRCPC, Neuroscience Head,
Janssen Pharmaceuticals. "Of greater concern is that even when
these issues are recognized, they are not necessarily being
addressed by a healthcare professional. We must all learn how to
recognize someone at risk for mental illness to ensure they get the
help they need so they can continue to play a vital role at home
and in the community."
Seeking Help is Hard
Of the military
servicemembers and first responders who reported being diagnosed
with a serious health condition, 25% are not receiving ongoing
treatment. More than half cite family and their spouse (52%; 51%)
as being key influencers to their health, yet many (62%) feel they
can't afford to get sick, seek help or allow their family to view
them as weak. Many (77%) also believe their family depends upon
them to be a strong role model. Furthermore, one in four of these
individuals are afraid that their colleagues would not support
their efforts to get help with mental health issues.
76% of military servicemembers and first responders say support
from peers and the community would encourage them to take better
care of their health, but 53% admit their profession makes it
difficult to engage in a healthy manner with people who are not in
the same line of work.
A majority of military servicemembers and first responders who
believe the public should be more aware of their health issues
believe it would help them to receive better care (68%) and elicit
more support from family, friends and the community (52%). A case
in point is that most Canadians surveyed recognize some symptoms of
mental health issues and nearly all (97%) would do something to
help an individual showing symptoms; however, only 63% would direct
them to a healthcare professional.
Johnson & Johnson proudly sponsors the 2017 Invictus Games
to honor the bravery of our service men and women, and the families
that support them. The company will mobilize its "Donate a Photo"
booth throughout the games, benefiting the True Patriot Love
foundation which supports Canadian military, Veterans and their
families.
"We applaud Johnson & Johnson, and all organizations, that
are investing in research and programs that support the health and
well-being of military families," said Bronwen Evans, Founding Director and Chief
Executive Officer of True Patriot Love Foundation, a national
charity which funds more than 100 local organizations across
Canada that provide support and
resources to military members, Veterans and their families. "We are
extremely proud to partner with Johnson & Johnson to empower
every Canadian to do their part and be there for the heroes who
protect our country and communities."
References:
- Vetter, C., Devore, E., Wegrzyn, L., Massa, J., Speizer, F.,
Kawachi, I., Rosner, B., Stampfer, M. and Schernhammer, E.
Association Between Rotating Night Shift Work and Risk of Coronary
Heart Disease Among Women. JAMA. (2016); 315(16),
1726-1734.
- Heart Disease in the Fire Service. www.iaff.org.
http://www.iaff.org/hs/PDF/HeartDiseaseManual_2013.pdf. Published
2013. Accessed August 10, 2017
- K. Ngan, S. Drebit, S. Siow, S. Yu, D. Keen, H. Alamgir. Risks
and Causes of Musculoskeletal Injuries among Health Care Workers.
Occupational Medicine. 2010; 60(5), 389-394,
https://doi.org/10.1093/occmed/kqq052. Accessed August 10, 2017
- Thompson JM, Van Til L, Poirier A, Sweet J, McKinnon K, Sudom
K, Dursun S, Pedlar D. Health and Well-Being of Canadian Armed
Forces Veterans: Findings from the 2013 Life After Service Survey.
Charlottetown PE: Research
Directorate, Veterans Affairs Canada. Research Directorate
Technical Report. 03 July
2014.
- Schmid SM, Hallschmid M, Schultes B. The metabolic burden of
sleep loss. Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol.
2015;3(1):52-62. doi: 10.1016/S2213-8587(14)70012-9
- Chronic stress puts your health at risk. Mayo Clinic.
http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/stress/art-20046037.
Published April 21, 2016. Accessed
July 6, 2017.
- Stress. American Diabetes Association.
http://www.diabetes.org/living-with-diabetes/complications/mental-health/stress.html?referrer=https://www.google.com/.
Accessed June 8, 2017.
- Tawakol A, Ishai A, Takx RAP, et al. Relation between resting
amygdalar activity and cardiovascular events: a longitudinal and
cohort study. Lancet.2017;389:834–845.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(16)31714-7. Accessed
August 20, 2017.
About the Study
The survey, conducted online by
Harris Poll, on behalf of Johnson & Johnson, was fielded
August 15 - 28, 2017, among adults
aged 18-65 in both the U.S. and Canada. The Canadian version included a sample
of 740 Canadian adults aged 18-65 years, with 239 'servicemembers
and first responders' and 501 general population respondents.
Servicemembers and first responders were defined as adults 18-65
years who work as nurses, emergency responders, or have been active
in the armed services within the past 6 years. For more information
regarding this study, please contact
Lauren.Wilson@zenogroup.com.
About Johnson & Johnson:
Caring for the
world, one person at a time…inspires and unites the people of
Johnson & Johnson. We embrace research and science - bringing
innovative ideas, products and services to advance the health and
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than 250 Johnson & Johnson companies work with partners in
health care to touch the lives of over a billion people every day,
throughout the world.
SOURCE Johnson & Johnson