Military medicine
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Women are serving in the armed forces and deployed to areas of conflict in increasing numbers. Problems such as depressive symptoms and risks related to combat exposure can have negative effects on adjustment following service; understanding the relationship between these problems may contribute to strategies providers can use to facilitate healthy adjustment after deployment. The purpose of this study is to examine social factors as they relate to mental health adjustment, namely depressive symptoms among female veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan as part of Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Operation New Dawn (OND). We hypothesized that combat exposure would predict higher levels of depressive symptoms and that social support would moderate the relationship between combat exposure and depression. ⋯ This study highlights the role of social factors, specifically social support and perceived financial status, as potential barriers to healthy emotional readjustment following deployment. These findings suggest that it may be beneficial for mental health providers to screen female veterans and refer them to appropriate services to reduce financial stressors and strengthen their use of social support. More research should continue to examine more fully the impact of combat exposure on female service members' mental health and work to isolate the factors most strongly related to depression.
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Experience from recent conflicts underlines the dramatic impact of effective tourniquet use on combat casualty mortality. Although the Combat Application Tourniquet (CAT) is replacing the silicone band tourniquets (IST; "Israeli Silicone Tourniquet") in the Israeli Defense Forces, no direct comparison was made between them. The purpose of this study is to compare the performance of the two tourniquets on a mid-thigh model. ⋯ The IST was superior to the CAT in producing effective occlusion pressure while not prolonging application time. These results may indicate that the IST remains a valid option for controlling mid-thigh bleeding.
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The prevention of sexual assault (SA) in the U. S. military is a significant priority. This study applied the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines to a literature search that identified research evaluating SA prevention programs conducted within military settings. ⋯ Studies also lacked utilization of a long-term follow-up period. Additionally, studies did not reflect the types of SA prevention programs currently being implemented in military settings. Taken together, further research is needed to enhance the evidence base for SA prevention in the military, and to evaluate the effectiveness of the approaches currently being conducted with service members.
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Electronic cigarettes (EC) are an emerging form of nicotine replacement that has had a discernible increase in prevalence in the general population. Little is known regarding EC use among different military demographic groups or the extent of influence that social determinants of health may have on the behavior. The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence and correlates of EC use in a select population of active duty U.S. Naval personnel. This study is unique in that it allows for EC behavior comparison between a traditionally healthy demographic (aviators, a subset of aircrew) and a representative general military population sample. ⋯ This study is unique in that it examines the use of electronic cigarettes among selected healthy and baseline groups within the active duty U.S. Navy population. The current prevalence of EC use among active duty personnel is much higher than previously thought. Continued use of ECs after ever trying them appears to exceed that of cigarettes even among healthy populations such as aircrew. The findings of increased risk of EC use among those with lower income and less than a bachelor's degree suggest social determinants of health implications. This study sheds new light on EC use, characteristics of use, addiction implications, and highlights concerns for a growing health risk behavior.
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Few studies have examined the causes or mechanisms of oral-maxillofacial (OMF) injury among deployed military populations. This study reports causes of OMF injuries to U.S. Department of Defense personnel deployed to Afghanistan in Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) or to Iraq in Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation New Dawn (OND). This study provides follow-on analysis of a previous report of OMF injury rates among U.S. military personnel in Iraq and Afghanistan from 2001 to 2014. ⋯ Across both theaters of war, Iraq and Afghanistan, the main causes of OMF battle and non-battle injuries were consistent. Battle injuries were primarily due to explosives or explosive devices and the three main causes of non-battle injuries were MVCs, falls, and other blunt trauma. However, the distribution of causes differed by war theater. Future studies should focus on potential reasons for cause distribution disparities in MVCs and helicopter/plane crashes as they can only be partially explained by topography and infrastructure differences between Iraq and Afghanistan. Further surveillance is needed to understand the scope of OMF injuries in military-armed conflicts and operations.