TERVISE TÕTTU AJATEENISTUSEST ENNE TÄHTAEGA VÄLJALANGEMINE JA SELLEGA SEOTUD TEGURID

Predictive Factors for Dropping out of Compulsory Military Service for Health Reasons

Abstract

The article deals with drop-outs and predictive health-related factors. The analysis compares the data of the Defence Resources Agency regarding conscripts who dropped out because of health during the training period and the respondents of the first polling wave in the 2016 human resources survey. This comparison provides the opportunity to find out whether health problems in compulsory military service are the escalation of previous health problems or they are caused by other reasons. The article also seeks to determine to what extent it is possible to predict who is more likely to drop out from compulsory military service on the basis of background characteristics, self-assessed health, physical fitness performance, use of medications, motivation etc. Based on the background characteristics, the results confirm that the conscripts who drop out before the end of training differentiate in terms of their older age, they were living in partnership before the conscription, their family income is lower and they more frequently do not speak Estonian at home. Compared to other conscripts, they have lower health ratings; they are more likely to suffer from chronic diseases including obesity, joint diseases, back problems, asthma, stomach ulcers, depression, injuries, poisonings, and allergies. Before entering military service they were more likely to use prescription drugs. Among those who drop out from military service due to health, there are more of those who at the beginning of military service self-assessed their physical condition as (very) poor, and due to injuries they have not been involved in sports. As to emotional health, the conscripts who drop out of military service before the end have significantly higher depression scores compared to conscripts who complete the required military service. Among the drop-outs there are more young people who start their military service on a compulsory basis, rather than choosing their own time for military service. The drop-outs also tend to start their compulsory military service rather reluctantly.