UK female veterans' physical health: perceived impact of military service and experiences of accessing healthcare. Findings of a qualitative study.

Introduction: Women make up almost 14% of the UK's veteran population; however, little is known about female veterans' physical health and experiences of accessing healthcare after military service. As part of a qualitative study to understand female veterans' experiences of statutory and charitable support, participants were asked if they felt anything about their military service had impacted their physical health as civilians. They were also asked about their experiences with accessing healthcare and any associated challenges. The aim of this paper is to outline participants' responses to inform the development of further research.

Methods: 85 women who had served in the British Armed Forces took part in semistructured interviews conducted via Microsoft Teams between June and December 2022. Reflexive thematic analysis of interview transcripts was conducted to identify, analyse and report repeated patterns in responses to questions.

Results: Participants reported a range of physical health consequences that they attributed to military service. These included injuries sustained during training and deployment, 'wear and tear' through training and the impact of sometimes unsuitable clothing. They reported chronic pain, tendonitis, arthritis, slipped discs, broken bones and hearing loss. Some described their lives as severely restricted as a result. Challenges to accessing healthcare included perceived stigma associated with help-seeking, inconsistency around the transfer of medical records and a widespread lack of veteran awareness among civilian healthcare professionals.

Conclusions: There is a distinct lack of research in the UK against which to compare these findings; thus, further research is required in all areas of female veterans' physical health and experiences of accessing healthcare. Research should begin by establishing the nature and prevalence of health conditions among female and male veterans to identify the unique needs of both and tailor support accordingly.