Young men exempted from compulsory military or civil service in Finland — A group of men in need of psychosocial support?

Abstract

Aims: The aim of this study was to find out whether young men exempted from compulsory military or civil service constitute a group of young men in need of psychosocial support from the social and health services. Methods: The study involved a total of 356 men exempted from military or civil service and 440 young men conscripted into service. The research data were collected using questionnaires and register data. Results: Men exempted from military or civil service differed from conscripts in terms of psychosocial well-being. Compared with conscripts, they had already been in a more disadvantaged position with regard to their childhood living conditions. As young adults, they had met with a greater number of mental and social problems than conscripts: alcohol-related problems, unemployment, financial problems, homelessness, lack of social support and psychological distress. Young men exempted from service typically suffered from an accumulation of problems. Diverse problems were common particularly among men who had interrupted their service. There was a moderate correlation between current and childhood adversities. Conclusions: Men exempted from military or civil service comprise a group with a wide range of psychosocial problems and are a target group for supportive interventions. Special attention should be paid to the prevention of problems and promotion of well-being of men who interrupt their service. The accumulation of problems poses a challenge for the development of such interventions.