A Fast Track Open Access article published in the Health Behavior and Policy Review Journal.
Authors:
Justin T. McDaniel, PhD
Harvey Henson, PhD
Yvonne Hunter-Johnson, PhD
Dan Brown, EdD
Petra A. Robinson, PhD
Dauran M. McNeil
Angela T. Julien
David L. Albright, PhD
Robert J. McDermott, PhD
Objective:
We conducted a scoping review to establish a scientific baseline of STEM occupational involvement (i.e., a social determinant of health) prevalence among military veterans.
Methods:
he search for peer-reviewed publications was conducted from October 2023 through May 2025 using the following online databases: PubMed, EBSCOhost, JSTOR, and Google Scholar. We used search terms such as “STEM” and “veteran.”
Results:
The initial search yielded 7468 articles, from which 34 were screened at the full-text level. After our research team conducted a full text review of the relevant studies, we retained four studies for the final analysis (n = 4). Studies were primarily cross-sectional, and utilized non-random samples as well as varying definitions of STEM. Results showed that STEM occupational involvement prevalence ranged from 3.70% (95% CI = 2.58-3.22) to 7.00% (95% CI = 6.93-7.07).
Conclusions:
Veteran involvement in STEM occupations is relatively low and the literature on the topic stands to benefit from more rigorous and consistently applied methods. Given the technical expertise common among veterans and their known difficulty with the transition to civilian life, programs and policies that assist with reintegration in STEM occupations could provide an important improvement in social determinants of health and health behavior.
Source: Health Behavior and Policy Review
Publisher: Paris Scholar Publishing Ltd.
Article Link: https://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/psp/hbpr/pre-prints/content-psp_hbpr_1222