Inventorying Data to Support Army Harmful Behavior Prevention Metrics and Measures

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Keller, Kirsten M.

Contributor:

Cottrell, Linda

Hall, Kimberly Curry

Hyde, Kelly

Smucker, Sierra

Stoll, Hunter

Tang, Grace

Language:

English

Place of Publication:

RAND Corporation 2024

Summary:

Having accurate data to better understand the occurrence and frequency of harmful behaviors, including factors that increase or decrease the likelihood that they occur, is critical to the Army's primary prevention efforts of stopping harmful behaviors before they occur. This report identifies more than 50 Department of Defense (DoD) and Army data sources that contain information on the specific harmful behaviors of domestic abuse, prohibited discrimination, sexual assault and sexual harassment, substance use, and suicide, as well as their risk factors and protective factors. The report also provides recommendations for addressing key gaps and challenges in data collection and use of these data sources, such as refining current data collection efforts through a better understanding of relevant risk and protective factors, better integrating data sources to make them more useful, and improving access to data for the prevention workforce and others who are involved in harmful behavior prevention efforts. Importantly, rather than suggesting the Army undertake significant additional data collection efforts, the report emphasizes the need for improved data collection refinement, integration, and access across DoD.