Military medicine
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Cumulative low-level blast exposure during military training may be a significant occupational hazard, increasing the risk of poor long-term outcomes in brain function. US Public Law 116-92 section 717 mandates that US Department of Defense agencies document the blast exposure of each Service member to help inform later disability and health care decisions. However, which empirical measures of training blast exposure, such as the number of incidents, peak overpressure, or impulse, best inform changes in the neurobehavioral symptoms reflecting brain health have not been established. ⋯ These results indicate that measures of cumulative blast impulse may have utility in predicting changes in NSI scores. Such paired dosimetry-symptom measures are expected to be an important tool in safely guiding Service members' occupational exposure and optimizing force readiness and lethality.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Long-Term Consequences of Spirometry During Military Routine Medical Examinations on Smoking Cessation Compared to Minimal Advice.
Smoking kills 8 million people a year worldwide. It is the most prevalent cause of death in France by cancer, cardiovascular, or respiratory diseases. Minimal advice consists in asking patients who smoke if they are interested in quitting. It is effective in reducing smoking. The French High Health Authority recommends its systematic use with patients, whatever their reason for seeking treatment. The beneficial effect of spirometry on smoking cessation is controversial. The objective of our study was to measure the consequences of spirometry associated with minimal advice, compared with only minimal advice in soldiers seen during a routine medical examination. ⋯ Spirometry does not seem to influence smoke cessation on a military population at 6 months. The overall cessation rate in our study was well in excess of the 3-6% expected from only providing minimal which is underused in general practice and should be encouraged.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Efficacy of a Novel Telehealth Application in Health Behavior Modification and Symptomology in Military Service Members at Risk for Post-traumatic Osteoarthritis.
Mobile applications (apps) may be beneficial to promote self-management strategies to mitigate the risk of developing post-traumatic osteoarthritis in military members following a traumatic knee injury. This study investigated the efficacy of a mobile app in facilitating behavior modification to improve function and symptomology among military members. ⋯ These results indicate that the mobile app is easy to use and may contribute to improved constant pain symptomology for patients at risk for post-traumatic osteoarthritis.
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Finnish military divers perform a great variety of tasks all year round, all of which require good physical health and fitness. Poor physical fitness can hinder the ability to cope with different situations. A high body fat percentage has been suggested to increase the risk of decompression sickness, whereas low muscle mass has been associated with an increased risk of musculoskeletal disorders and trauma. However, a low-fat composition may render divers vulnerable to cold and hypothermia during a dive in cold Arctic conditions. The aim of this study was to evaluate possible changes in body composition of Finnish military divers during a 15-year follow-up period (2007-2021). ⋯ According to this study, Finnish military divers have managed to maintain a surprisingly good muscle mass in all age groups despite body composition changes due to aging in older subjects. A slight increase in fat mass can be observed with increasing age; nevertheless, the values have remained within fit-to-dive target levels. The current training routines of Finnish military divers are adequate for maintaining solid physical fitness and body composition over the course of the diving career.