Who sees the chaplain? Characteristics and correlates of behavioral health care-seeking in the military

Chaplains have a critical role in the military organization and health care. Using the 2015 Health-Related Behavior Survey, we compared Service Members' (SM) use of chaplaincy services to their use of other behavioral health (BH) services: 26.2% used any BH service and 8.0% met with a chaplain/clergyperson for BH. Among the 36.5% of SM who self-identified needing counseling, percentages of SMs receiving counseling were lower among those perceiving stigma associated with BH services (51.0%) than those not perceiving stigma (66.7%). Of SM who sought counseling: many used multiple counseling sources (48.0%), with the most common sources being a BH professional (71.6%), a medical doctor (37.5%), and a chaplain or clergyperson (30.2%). SM who met with a chaplain or clergyperson had more severe histories of abuse, were more likely to have a mental health diagnosis, and had fewer positive health behaviors than SM who sought other sources of counseling.

Automated summary

Chaplains play a critical role in the military organization and healthcare. According to the 2015 Health-Related Behavior Survey, service members are more likely to seek counseling from chaplains compared to other behavioral health services. Those who perceive stigma associated with behavioral health services are less likely to seek counseling. Many service members who seek counseling utilize multiple sources, with chaplains being a common choice.