Risk Propensity and Health Risk Behaviors in U.S. Army Soldiers with and without Psychological Disturbances across the Deployment Cycle

Risk Propensity and Health Risk Behaviors in U.S. Army Soldiers with and without Psychological Disturbances across the Deployment Cycle
http://www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD=ADA557841&Location=U2&doc=GetTRDoc.pdf


ARMY AEROMEDICAL RESEARCH LAB FORT RUCKER AL


Kelley, Amanda M ; Athy, Jeremy R ; Cho, Timothy H ; Erickson, Brad ; King, Melody ; Cruz, Pedro


USAARL 2012-08



Three potential factors driving changes in health risk behaviors after a combat deployment were examined in this study; posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), concussion and traumatic brain injury (TBI), and perceived invincibility. We studied members of a combat arms brigade one month prior to a deployment to Iraq and approximately one month after their return (N = 319). Participants anonymously completed surveys characterizing attitudes about risk, risk propensity, invincibility, engagement in health risk behaviors, and personality. Using standardized screening instruments, participants were categorized with respect to PTSD and probable TBI. Results suggest that Soldiers engage in more alcohol use and reckless driving behaviors post-deployment. These changes were exaggerated in those who screened positive for PTSD. Perception of one's invincibility and survival skills increased post-deployment thus suggesting that participants felt less susceptible to adverse consequences and more adept at surviving dangerous situations. This study provides documentation of the health behavior pattern in Soldiers engaged in the deployment cycle.





Descriptors : *ARMY PERSONNEL, *CONCUSSION, *POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER, *TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURIES, ALCOHOLISM, ATTITUDES(PSYCHOLOGY), BEHAVIOR, DEPLOYMENT, HEALTH, MENTAL DISORDERS, PERSONALITY, SKILLS, STRESS(PSYCHOLOGY), WOUNDS AND INJURIES

Estimated metabolic heat production of helicopter aircrew members during Operations in Iraq and Afghanistan

Estimated Metabolic Heat Production of Helicopter Aircrew Members during Operations in Iraq and Afghanistan


http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a558580.pdf
ARMY RESEARCH INST OF ENVIRONMENTAL MEDICINE NATICK MA BIOPHYSICS AND BIOMEDICAL MODELING DIV

USARIEM T12-03 April 2012
Tharion, William J ; Goetz, Victoria ; Yokota, Miyo


The degree of heat strain experienced by helicopter Aircrew varies with environmental condition, the physical demands of the mission, clothing and equipment worn, and individual characteristics such as age, height, weight, percent body fat, degree of heat acclimation, pharmaceutical use, and physical fitness. The level of heat strain in Aircrew members conducting in-theater operations is unknown. Methods: Male Aircrew members (n = 18, age: 35 + 8 yrs, wt: 87 + 10 kg, ht: 178 + 7 cm; mean + standard deviation)with in-theater operational experience served as test volunteers. Participants included Aircrew members from Blackhawk (UH-60) or Chinook (CH-47) helicopters. Individual energy expenditures in kilocalories (kcal) were determined for each period of activity. Total training day energy expenditure was estimated from the various activities an individual performed. Metabolic heat was estimated using a mechanical efficiency of 20% for human movement and a standardized conversion to watts (W) (1 kcal/hr = 1.163 W) as needed.


FLIGHT CREWS, *HEAT PRODUCTION(BIOLOGY), *METABOLISM, AFGHANISTAN, ENERGY CONSUMPTION, HELICOPTERS, IRAQ, PHYSICAL FITNESS

Analysis of Medical Events among Battlefield Airmen Trainees

Analysis of Medical Events among Battlefield Airmen Trainees

http://www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD=ADA559146&Location=U2&doc=GetTRDoc.pdf

SCHOOL OF AEROSPACE MEDICINE WRIGHT PATTERSON AFB OH

AFRL SA WP SR 2012-0004
Maupin, M


United States Air Force Battlefield Airmen (BA) are an elite group of largely enlisted, male warfighters whose duties require a substantial degree of physical and mental strength, agility, stamina, and discipline. The numerous financial, material, and personnel resources required to train this group feed into a multi-location training pipeline, which can take up to 2 years per trainee to complete. The majority of those who enter the training program do not complete the program, and a subset of these noncompleters (about 15%) is related to medical events. Secondary data analyses were performed on existing training data to determine a timeline of medical events within the pipeline. Descriptive analyses were conducted to determine the number of individuals in pipelines, median pipeline length, graduation rates, number of medical events, and median day of medical event. For the 3-year period from 2008 to 2010, there were 2,837 BA who started training pipelines. Median pipeline length (in days) for graduates ranged from 105 to 708 and graduation rates ranged from 1% to 60%, depending on the career field. For nongraduates, medical events occurred as early as 5% of the way through the pipeline for one career field and as late as 30% for another career field. Medical events were characterized by examining data from the Military Health System Mart for clinic visits near the event dates and summarizing the types of medical diagnoses found. Of the 600 individuals with medical events in the 3-year period (21% of the total pipelines), 73% had corresponding medical events in the Military Health System Mart. The most common diagnosis categories were diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue and injury and poisoning. The largest subcategory within musculoskeletal diseases was disorders of the joint, most of which were joint pain of the lower leg.





Descriptors : *AIR FORCE PERSONNEL, *AIR FORCE TRAINING, *BATTLEFIELDS, *MEDICAL SERVICES, *MILITARY MEDICINE, *TRAINEES, CAREERS, CONNECTIVE TISSUE, DIAGNOSIS(MEDICINE), ENLISTED PERSONNEL, HEALTH, MENTAL ABILITY, MUSCULOSKELETAL DISEASES, OUTPATIENT CLINICS, POISONING, SPECIAL OPERATIONS FORCES, WOUNDS AND INJURIES