What is the effectiveness of services and interventions for Armed Forces transitioning to veteran status, and what opportunities are there for improvement: a scoping review of health-related evidence.

Authors

Jessica M Armitage, Sophie Robinson, Jamie Bowater, G J Melendez-Torres, Maxwell S Barnish

Published in

BMJ open. Volume 16. Issue 9. Pages e122999. Sep 29, 2026. Epub Sep 29, 2026.

Abstract

To identify and map health-related services and interventions that support Armed Forces transitioning to veteran status, and to synthesise evidence on their potential effectiveness.
Scoping review.
Medline (Ovid), Embase (Ovid), APA PsycInfo (Ovid), Cochrane (Wiley), Web of Science (Clarivate), ASSIA (ProQuest) and PTSD Pubs (Proquest), citation chasing and web searches.
Armed Forces members, veterans, family members and service providers from the UK, Europe, Canada, Australia or New Zealand.
Health-related services and interventions intended to support military to civilian transition.
Health and wellbeing outcomes (eg, mental health symptoms, quality of life), broader transition-related outcomes (eg, employment, housing, social connection), acceptability, barriers and facilitators to intervention or service engagement.
Tabulation and narrative synthesis (using thematic analysis for qualitative studies).
Thirty-four unique studies were included, reporting data on 10 040 veterans and transitioning service personnel. Twenty-two distinct interventions were identified and grouped into five categories: (1) art-based, (2) sport or outdoor-based, (3) peer- or group-based, (4) employment, skills or education training and (5) digital technology interventions. Most evidence originated from the UK, with additional studies from Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Israel. While no critical appraisal of study quality was performed within this review, quantitative evaluations suggested benefits for mental health, wellbeing and reintegration outcomes for some intervention types; however, evidence was heterogeneous and variable in outcome measurement. Qualitative evidence highlighted value in social connection, identity and purpose, and identified barriers related to awareness, access, acceptability and the need for tailored provision.
A diverse range of services and interventions are available to support transition to civilian life, but the strength and consistency of the evidence varied considerably, meaning findings should be interpreted as identifying potentially valuable approaches rather than established best practices. Future research should prioritise robust evaluation designs, consistent outcome reporting and attention to implementation and equity. Service planners may benefit from improved signposting and better integration across health, social care and third-sector pathways to support veterans during transition.
Zenodo record 17630661.

PMID:
42810804
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 30 Sep 2026.

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