Military medicine
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E-cigarette use has rapidly increased in prevalence in the United States, and rates of use are even higher among military personnel compared to the general population. Descriptive and injunctive norms have previously been shown to impact tobacco use. However, little research has been conducted related to e-cigarette descriptive and injunctive norms, and no research has addressed e-cigarette norms among a military population. ⋯ Descriptive norms were more commonly mentioned than injunctive norms, which may indicate that injunctive norms are not as influential for e-cigarette use. Additionally, all estimates related to e-cigarette prevalence were higher than actual rates of use, showing an overestimation of use, which previous literature has shown increases likelihood of e-cigarette use. Future research should specifically ask about injunctive norms as well as determine if descriptive and injunctive norms influence actual e-cigarette use behaviors among military personnel.
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The Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences coordinates a 2-week Summer Operational Experience (SOE) during the first year of medical school. The SOE aims to provide students with operational context and enhance familiarity with service-specific operational environments, the services' medical department capabilities, and/or general warfighter skills. One overarching goal of the SOE is to provide an experience that may motivate students to pursue an operational medicine assignment at some point in their military career. However, to date, little evaluation data have been collected regarding the effectiveness of the SOE in encouraging medical students to pursue operational medicine assignments. The purpose of this project was to develop and collect initial validity evidence for a survey instrument designed to assess various aspects of students' attitudes and behavioral intentions to pursue an operational medicine assignment at some point in their military career. ⋯ Findings from this study suggest the developed survey yields scores that can reliably assess students' attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, and intentions to pursue operational medicine. Using this survey, course leaders have a tool for evaluating the success of the SOE and identifying potential areas for improvement within the curriculum. More broadly, other educators can use the theoretical framework and instrument design process described here to evaluate students' behavioral intentions in their own contexts.
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For healthcare providers, specifically military and federal public health personnel, prompt and accurate diagnosis and isolation of SARS-CoV-2 novel coronavirus patients provide a two-fold benefit: (1) directing appropriate treatment to the infected patient as early as possible in the progression of the disease to increase survival rates and minimize the devastating sequelae following recovery and remission of symptoms; (2) provide critical information requirements that enable commanders and public health officials to best synchronize policy, regulations, and troop movement restrictions while best allocating scarce resources in the delicate balance of risk mitigation versus mission readiness. Simple personal protective measures and robust testing and quarantine procedures, instituted and enforced aggressively by senior leaders, physicians, and healthcare professionals at all levels are an essential aspect of the battle against the COVID-19 pandemic that will determine the success or failure of the overall effort. As consideration, the authors respectfully submit this vignette of the first confirmed positive COVID-19 case presenting to the Emergency Department at Winn Army Community Hospital, Fort Stewart, Georgia.
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Global Health Engagement is used as one of the instruments of power to win hearts and minds of our partner nations and allies worldwide. Global Health Engagement is dynamic process with myriads of dimensions, applications, and deliverables. Planned and executed correctly, it can yield huge dividends as per SCP and Theater Campaign Plan.