Military medicine
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Many countries around the world employ defense capabilities in support of global health engagement (GHE) through bilateral and multilateral organizations. Despite this, there does not appear to be a strategic approach and implementation plan for U.S. DoD GHE in support of and through multilateral organizations. The purpose of this research is to identify which security multilateral organizations are engaged in GHE, as well as how and why. These findings could inform an interoperable approach for doing so going forward. ⋯ Although there is high demand for GHE, resourcing to enable implementation has not been prioritized. Therefore, multilateral organizations continue to support what is funded (e.g., disaster response) versus prioritizing capacity building or modifying authorities and appropriations to match demand. It is also worth noting most organizations included in this review support the European theater aligning to historical defense priorities, versus emerging threats in the Indo-Pacific region. Identifying a forum within these multilateral institutions to convene GHE policy makers and practitioners is a logical next step. The forums could guide and direct priorities, devise solutions, and implement best practices. Near term efforts could include GHE financing, governance, assurance, and technical assistance within and across multilateral institutions. Recent efforts highlight growth in both interest and action to support the variety of GHE activities regionally and internationally. As the United States seeks to reinforce multilateral institutions and uphold the international and rules-based order, employing GHE through multilateral cooperation could buttress efforts. Now is a perfect time given the sustained interest in global health, amplified value of allies and partners, and renewed emphasis placed on multilateral cooperation for the DoD to design a multilateral GHE strategy and seek Congressional support to resource it accordingly.
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The aims of this project were to assess (1) the prevalence and timing of post-traumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA) after a traumatic lower limb injury, (2) the risk of PTOA based on injury type, and (3) the association of PTOA with psychological health and quality of life (QoL). ⋯ Despite a low prevalence of lower limb PTOA in our study, fractures increased the risk of PTOA after deployment-related injuries. Additionally, those with PTOA reported lower QoL scores relative to those without PTOA. The findings of this study highlight the personalized needs of patients with trauma beyond just the repair of the immediate injury.
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Trauma-focused (psycho)therapies (TFTs) are often used to treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) of (military) veterans, including prolonged exposure (PE), cognitive processing therapy (CPT), and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing. However, research thus far has not conclusively determined predictors of TFTs' success in this population. This scoping review's objectives are 1) to explore whether it is possible, based on currently available evidence, to match TFTs to veterans to maximize their outcomes, (2) to identify possible contraindications and adaptations of TFTs for this population, and (3) to identify gaps in the literature to guide future research. ⋯ The current literature on TFTs to treat PTSD in veterans contains several knowledge gaps, including regarding treatment matching. Future research should examine effectiveness of these treatments using multiple sources of outcomes, longer time periods, combination with other treatment, outcomes outside of PTSD symptoms (such as functioning), and resilience.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Telemedicine Improves Performance of a Two-Incision Lower Leg Fasciotomy by Combat Medics: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
The primary aim of this randomized controlled trial was to assess if a head-mounted display (HMD) providing telemedicine support improves performance of a two-incision lower leg fasciotomy by a NATO special operations combat medic (combat medic). ⋯ This randomized controlled trial shows that a HMD providing telemedicine support leads to significantly better performance of a two-incision lower leg fasciotomy by a combat medic with less iatrogenic muscle and venous damage.