Military medicine
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Randomized Controlled Trial
The Effects of Platoon Leader Mental Health and Resilience Training on Soldier Problematic Anger.
The DoD has prioritized programs to optimize readiness by enhancing resilience of its service members. Problematic anger in the military is an issue that impacts psychological well-being and resilience. Leader support is a potential tactic for reducing anger and its effects. Currently military resilience training is focused on individual level resilience. A gap exists in such training and there is a need to train leaders to provide mental health and resilience support to their subordinates. The present study developed and tested a theory-based training aimed at platoon leaders that focused on how to engage in proactive and responsive mental health and resilience-supportive behaviors through guided discussion, scenarios, and computer-based training with embedded quizzes. ⋯ This study provides an initial evaluation of training for platoon leaders that educates them on proactive and responsive behavioral strategies to support the mental health and resilience of their service members via decreased problematic anger and increased well-being. Further adaptations and evaluations should be conducted with other military branches and civilian occupations, as the benefits of the relatively brief and noninvasive training could be widespread.
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Military Service Members, Veterans, and other patient populations who experience traumatic brain injury (TBI) may have increased risk of early neurodegenerative diseases relative to those without TBI history. Some evidence suggests that exposure to psychotropic medications may play a role in this association. The Long-term Impact of Military-relevant Brain Injury Consortium-Chronic Effects of Neurotrauma Consortium (LIMBIC-CENC) prospective longitudinal study provides an ideal setting to examine the effects of psychotropic medication exposure on long-term neurological health of those with and without mild TBI history. In this study, we sought to develop and pilot test a self-report electronic survey instrument to measure participants' psychotropic medication histories for use across LIMBIC-CENC study sites. ⋯ Service Members and Veterans may receive psychotropic medications from multiple sources over their lifetimes. Valid methods to examine and quantify these exposures among those with a history of TBI are important, particularly as we evaluate causes of neurodegenerative disorders in this population over time. The measurement of Veterans' lifetime psychotropic medication exposures using a self-report survey, in combination with health care records, holds promise as a valid approach, but further testing and refinement are needed.
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Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in breath serve as a source of biomarkers for medical conditions relevant to warfighter health including Corona Virus Disease and other potential biological threats. Electronic noses are integrated arrays of gas sensors that are cost-effective and miniaturized devices that rapidly respond to VOCs in exhaled breath. The current study seeks to qualify healthy breath baselines of exhaled VOC profiles through analysis using a commercialized array of metal oxide (MOX) sensors. ⋯ The current study sought to qualify healthy baselines of VOCs in exhaled breath using a MOX sensor array that can be leveraged in the future to detect medical conditions relevant to warfighter health. For example, the results of the study will be useful, as the healthy breath VOC data from the sensor array can be cross-referenced in future studies aiming to use the device to distinguish disease states. Ultimately, the sensors may be integrated into a portable breathalyzer or current military gear to increase warfighter readiness through rapid and noninvasive health monitoring.
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We evaluated the risk factors associated with gastrointestinal disorders (GD) among the soldiers of the Army and Marine Aviation community (AMAC) using an exposomic approach. Specifically, we aimed to determine the medical and operational factors associated with reported GD in the Military Health System. ⋯ The high-risk categories associated with GD in the AMAC included age, BMI, race (not ethnicity), marital status, and service time. Our data also show that deployment time, not geographical location, was associated with a higher risk of GD. Together, these analyses suggest that White ADSMs older than 33 years of age who have experienced marriage, longer service time, and deployments appear to have a higher risk of GDs. Our assessment shows the utility of using an exposomic approach to create a member-specific, big data-informed personalized clinical algorithm of health outcomes.
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Winter warfare training (WWT) is a critical component of military training that trains warfighters to operate effectively in extreme environments impacted by snow and mountainous terrain. These environmental factors can exacerbate the disruption to the hormone milieu associated with operating in multi-stressor settings. To date, there is limited research on the physiological responses and adaptations that occur in elite military populations training in arduous environments. The purpose of this study was to quantify hormone responses and adaptations in operators throughout WWT. ⋯ Over the course of WWT, elite operators experienced alterations in stress, metabolic, and growth-related hormones, as well as cognitive performance. The increase in stress hormones (i.e., ACTH and cortisol) and reduction in cognitive performance following training in AK are suggestive of heightened physiological strain, despite similarities in physical workload, self-reported sleep quality, and access to nutrition. The variation in hormone levels documented between MT and AK may stem from differences in environmental factors, such as lower temperatures and harsh terrain. Further research is warranted to provide more information on the combined effects of military training in extreme environments on operator health and performance.