MSMR
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Smoking is known to contribute to the risk of acute respiratory illness (ARI) and long-term medical conditions but little is known about the acute health effects of e-cigarette/vaping product use. The annual electronic Periodic Health Assessment (ePHA), which includes questions related to smoking and e-cigarette/vaping product use, is a screening tool used by the U. S. ⋯ Unadjusted incidence rates of ARI were higher among e-cigarette/vaping product only users and dual-product users than smokers and nonusers. After adjusting for age, sex, service branch, and military occupation, the incidence rate of ARI among dual-product users was higher than the rate among nonusers; this difference was small but statistically significant. Improved understanding of the health impact of e-cigarette/vaping product use has the potential to inform policy related to use of these products and prevent unnecessary harm.
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This article summarizes the findings from the first report of the new, standard Measures of Effectiveness developed by the Department of Defense (DoD) Hearing Conservation Program Working Group in 2018. When examining periodic hearing test results of DoD personnel, the overall risk of potential hearing injury/illness was stable from 2012 through 2018. The National Guard and Reserve components showed a higher potential risk of hearing loss, possibly related to lower compliance on follow-up tests when a shift in hearing occurred. Finally, the overall percentage of DoD personnel (who received periodic hearing tests) with hearing impairment decreased over the years presented.
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Injuries are a barrier to military medical readiness, and overexertion has historically been a leading mechanism of injury among active duty U. S. Army soldiers. ⋯ S. Army soldiers in 2014. Efforts to improve external cause coding are needed, and could be aligned with training on and enforcement of ICD-10 coding guidelines throughout the Military Health System.
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Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a common injury in the U. S. Compared to the general population, military service members can be at increased risk for TBI because of the nature of their work. ⋯ Compared to service members without TBI, those who sustained a mild TBI were 3.99 times more likely to have a headache or migraine, and those with a moderate/severe TBI were 8.89 times more likely. Patients, medical providers, and military leaders can use these results to guide care after a TBI. Early identification of those at higher risk of these sequelae could improve medical management and reduce disability.
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From July 2012 through June 2013, the number of active and reserve component service members treated for cold injuries (n=479) was the lowest of the last five cold seasons (2008-2013). Over the last five years hypothermia was the most common cold injury among service members in the Marine Corps and Coast Guard, while frostbite was the most common type of cold injury in the other three Services. Consistent with trends from previous cold seasons, service members who were female, less than 20 years old, or of black, non-Hispanic race/ethnicity tended to have higher cold injury rates than their respective counterparts. Among service members overall, Army personnel accounted for the majority (62%) of cold injuries.