Women Veterans of the Canadian Armed Forces and Royal Canadian Mounted Police: A scoping review
Abstract: Introduction: This scoping review charts academic literature and government documents about women Veterans of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). The current review is unique because the scope is limited to Canadian women Veterans, and the author incorporates non-academic literature and information about RCMP women Veterans, and reviews literature about women Veterans as a whole rather than focusing on a specific issue. Methods: The author included research in this review if it substantively mentioned women Veterans of the CAF or RCMP, used Canadian data disaggregated by sex or gender, came to novel conclusions, and was published before Dec. 31, 2020. Grounded theory was used for analysis. Results: Canadian women Veterans appear to face different mental and physical issues than their male counterparts and women in the Canadian general population (CGP), but these gendered issues are understudied. Women CAF Veterans also earn less after release and are more likely to have a difficult transition out of the military than men CAF Veterans. Little is known about RCMP women Veterans. Discussion: Gaps in the literature include a lack of original qualitative research, insufficient inclusion of women Veterans, and particularly women RCMP Veterans, in population studies of Veterans, not enough comparative research of women Veterans and women in the CGP, and a lack of data about women Veterans’ service use and needs.
Abstract: Introduction: Persistent inequities exist in obstetric and neonatal outcomes in military families despite universal health care coverage. Though the exact underlying cause has not been identified, social determinants of health may uniquely impact military families. The purpose of this study was to qualitatively investigate the potential impact of social determinants of health and the lived experiences of military individuals seeking maternity care in the Military Health System. Materials and methods: This was an Institutional Review Board-approved protocol. Nine providers conducted 31 semi-structured interviews with individuals who delivered within the last 5 years in the direct or purchased care market. Participants were recruited through social media blasts and clinic flyers with both maximum variation and homogenous sampling to ensure participation of diverse individuals. Data were coded and themes were identified using inductive qualitative research methods. Results: Three main themes were identified: Requirements of Military Life (with subthemes of pregnancy notification and privacy during care, role of pregnancy instructions and policies, and role of command support), Sociocultural Aspects of the Military Experience (with subthemes of pregnancy as a burden on colleagues and a career detractor, postpartum adjustment, balancing personal and professional requirements, pregnancy timing and parenting challenges, and importance of friendship and camaraderie in pregnancy), and Navigating the Healthcare Experience (including subthemes of transfer between military and civilian care and TRICARE challenges, perception of military care as inferior to civilian, and remote duty stations and international care). Conclusions: The unique stressors of military life act synergistically with the existing health care challenges, presenting opportunities for improvements in care. Such opportunities may include increased consistency of policies across services and commands. Increased access to group prenatal care and support groups, and increased assistance with navigating the health care system to improve care transitions were frequently requested changes by participants.