Military medicine
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Reserve and National Guard (RNG) service members face increased risks for psychological and behavioral problems and are unlikely to seek mental health (MH) care after returning from military deployments. This article examines an online intervention (Web-Ed) with regard to participation, screening results, satisfaction, and intent to seek follow-up MH care, with comparisons by gender and post-deployment MH care receipt. ⋯ Efforts to facilitate access to MH care among post-deployed RNG veterans should be ongoing, regardless of the length of time since deployment, Veterans Affairs enrollment status, prior MH care receipt, or gender. Online screening and personalized education engage veterans who have not sought MH care and provide new information to those who have.
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Military veterans are at increased risk of substance use disorders. Limited research is available about veterans' cannabis use (CU) during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. This study estimated the prevalence of past 30-day CU, investigated individual-level correlates of past 30-day CU, and evaluated the reasons (medical, recreational, or both) of past 30-day CU among U.S. Veterans during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. ⋯ CU is prevalent among veterans, and certain subgroups are at higher risk of CU. Thus, identifying high-risk subgroups of veterans and adequately educating them about CU's benefits, risks, and safety is crucial.
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Symptomatic Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) screening has been a cornerstone of case identification during the pandemic. Despite the myriad of COVID-19 symptoms, symptom screens have primarily focused on symptoms of influenza-like illnesses such as fever, cough, and dyspnea. It is unknown how well these symptoms identify cases in a young, healthy military population. This study aims to evaluate the utility of symptom-based screening in identifying COVID-19 through three different COVID-19 waves. ⋯ In this descriptive cross-sectional study evaluating symptomatic military members with COVID-19, symptom prevalence varied based on predominant circulating COVID-19 variant as well as patients' vaccination status. As screening strategies evolve with the pandemic, changing symptom prevalence should be considered.
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Running-related injuries are prevalent in the military and are often related to physical fitness test training. Non-rearfoot striking while running is known to increase the risk of Achilles tendon injuries because of the high eccentric energy absorption by the elastic components of the planarflexor muscle-tendon complex. However, there is limited evidence to suggest benefits of converting runners with Achilles tendon pain to use a rearfoot strike. ⋯ This case series demonstrated the clinical utility of converting two non-rearfoot strike runners to a rearfoot strike pattern to decrease eccentric demands on the plantarflexors and reduce Achilles tendon pain while running.
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Observational Study
A Lack of Generalizability-Total Knee Demographics in the Active Duty Population.
Age and sex are known demographic risk factors for requiring revision surgery following primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Military service members are a unique population with barriers to long-term follow up after surgery. This study aims to compare demographic data between active duty military personnel and a nationwide sample to identify differences that may impact clinical and economic outcomes. ⋯ Patients undergoing TKA in the military are younger and more likely to be male compared to national trends. Current evidence suggests these factors may place them at a significant revision risk in the future. The application of quality metrics based on nationwide demographics may not be applicable to military members within the Military Health System.