Interviewer gender and self-reported sexual behavior and mental health among male military personnel

• Published in: International journal of public health Vol. 56; no. 2; pp. 225 - 229
• Main Authors: Chun, Helen, Tavarez, Maria I., Dann, Grace E., Anastario, Michael P.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel SP Birkhäuser Verlag Basel 01-04-2011; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Alcoholism; Brief Report; Depression; Dominican Republic; Environmental Health; Female; Gender; Gender Identity; Humans; Interviews as Topic; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Mental Health; Middle Aged; Military personnel; Military Personnel - psychology; Occupational Medicine/Industrial Medicine; Prevalence; Public Health; Sexual Behavior; Surveys and Questionnaires; Young Adult; Dominican Republic; Sexual risk; Questionnaire; Gender; Interviewer; Mental health; Military
• ISSN: 1661-8556; 1661-8564
• DOI: 10.1007/s00038-010-0185-9

Objectives
To determine whether self-reported sexual behavior and mental health varied by interviewer gender in a population of male military personnel.
Methods
Eight male and six female data collectors verbally administered structured interviews to 474 male Dominican military personnel stationed at border crossing zones in the Dominican Republic. Measurements included sexual behaviors and mental health.
Results
Respondents were less likely to report oral and vaginal sex to male interviewers, and were more likely to report sexual coercion and alcohol abuse to male interviewers. Respondents were more likely to report depression and post-traumatic stress disorder to female interviewers.
Conclusion
Interviewer gender influenced the prevalence of sexual behaviors and mental health, which carries implications for future research in military personnel.