Alcohol use disorder in active duty service members: Incidence rates over a 19-year period

Abstract Study Objectives Epidemiologic studies of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and insomnia in the U.S. military are limited. The primary aim of this study was to report and compare OSA and insomnia diagnoses in active duty the United States military service members. Method Data and service branch densities used to derive the expected rates of diagnoses on insomnia and OSA were drawn from the Defense Medical Epidemiology Database. Single sample chi-square goodness of fit tests and independent samples t-tests were conducted to address the aims of the study. Results Between 2005 and 2019, incidence rates of OSA and insomnia increased from 11 to 333 and 6 to 272 (per 10,000), respectively. Service members in the Air Force, Navy, and Marines were diagnosed with insomnia and OSA below expected rates, while those in the Army had higher than expected rates (p < .001). Female service members were underdiagnosed in both disorders (p < .001). Comparison of diagnoses following the transition from ICD 9 to 10 codes revealed significant differences in the amounts of OSA diagnoses only (p < .05). Conclusion Since 2005, incidence rates of OSA and insomnia have markedly increased across all branches of the U.S. military. Despite similar requirements for overall physical and mental health and resilience, service members in the Army had higher rates of insomnia and OSA. This unexpected finding may relate to inherent differences in the branches of the military or the role of the Army in combat operations. Future studies utilizing military-specific data and directed interventions are required to reverse this negative trend.

Download Full-text

Incidence Rates of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Over a 17‐Year Period in Active Duty Military Service Members

Journal of Traumatic Stress ◽

10.1002/jts.22558 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 33 (6) ◽

pp. 994-1006

Author(s):

Jason L. Judkins ◽

Brian A. Moore ◽

Tyler L. Collette ◽

Willie J. Hale ◽

Alan L. Peterson ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder ◽

Posttraumatic Stress ◽

Military Service ◽

Stress Disorder ◽

Active Duty ◽

Incidence Rates ◽

Service Members ◽

Active Duty Military ◽

Military Service Members

Download Full-text

Incidence Rates of Tinnitus in Active Duty Military Service Members Between 2001 and 2015

American Journal of Audiology ◽

10.1044/2019_aja-19-0029 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 28 (4) ◽

pp. 866-876

Author(s):

Brian A. Moore ◽

John C. Moring ◽

Willie J. Hale ◽

Alan L. Peterson

Keyword(s):

Military Service ◽

Population Based ◽

Active Duty ◽

Incidence Rates ◽

Service Members ◽

Operating Environment ◽

Objective Health ◽

Active Duty Military ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Military Service Members

Purpose Due to hazards in the contemporary operating environment, U.S. military service members are at increased risk for tinnitus. Previous research has characterized tinnitus prevalence in military veterans, but no population-based study of tinnitus has been conducted in active duty military service members. This study evaluated the incidence of tinnitus diagnoses in military electronic health records based on International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision (ICD-9) codes for active duty service members between 2001 and 2015. Method Data on 85,438 active duty military service members who served between 2001 and 2015 were drawn from the Defense Medical Epidemiological Database and stratified by race, age, sex, marital status, service branch, and military pay grade. Results The incidence rate of tinnitus in U.S. military service members (per 1,000) rose consistently from 1.84 in 2001 to 6.33 in 2015. Service members most often diagnosed with tinnitus were White (72%), married (72%), males (88%), in the enlisted pay grade of E-5 to E-9 (55%), in the Army (37%), and were 35 years of age or older (50%). Statistically significant differences ( p < .001) were found between observed and expected counts across all 6 demographic variables. Conclusions This is the first study to assess the incidence rates of tinnitus in active duty service members. Although there are many risk factors for auditory damage in the contemporary military operating environment, the extant literature on tinnitus in active duty military service members is limited. Future studies should consider the relationship between tinnitus-related psychological comorbidity and objective health-related quality of life, as it impacts operational readiness in active duty military service members.

Download Full-text

Risk of Alcohol Use Disorder or Other Drug Use Disorder Among U.S. Service Members Following Traumatic Brain Injury, 2008–2011

Military Medicine ◽

10.7205/milmed-d-14-00268 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 180 (2) ◽

pp. 208-215 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Lucas A. Johnson ◽

Angelia Eick-Cost ◽

Vicki Jeffries ◽

Kevin Russell ◽

Jean Lin Otto

Keyword(s):

Traumatic Brain Injury ◽

Brain Injury ◽

Alcohol Use ◽

Drug Use ◽

Alcohol Use Disorder ◽

Service Members ◽

Drug Use Disorder

Download Full-text

DSM-5 alcohol use disorder features among treatment-seeking older adults

SUCHT - Zeitschrift für Wissenschaft und Praxis / Journal of Addiction Research and Practice ◽

10.1024/0939-5911/a000550 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 64 (4) ◽

pp. 185-196 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Silke Behrendt ◽

Barbara Braun ◽

Randi Bilberg ◽

Gerhard Bühringer ◽

Michael Bogenschutz ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Alcohol Use ◽

Alcohol Use Disorder ◽

The Elderly ◽

Treatment Seeking ◽

Controlled Clinical Trial ◽

Dsm 5 ◽

Wide Range ◽

And Gender ◽

International Multicenter

Abstract. Background: The number of older adults with alcohol use disorder (AUD) is expected to rise. Adapted treatments for this group are lacking and information on AUD features in treatment seeking older adults is scarce. The international multicenter randomized-controlled clinical trial “ELDERLY-Study” with few exclusion criteria was conducted to investigate two outpatient AUD-treatments for adults aged 60+ with DSM-5 AUD. Aims: To add to 1) basic methodological information on the ELDERLY-Study by providing information on AUD features in ELDERLY-participants taking into account country and gender, and 2) knowledge on AUD features in older adults seeking outpatient treatment. Methods: baseline data from the German and Danish ELDERLY-sites (n=544) were used. AUD diagnoses were obtained with the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview, alcohol use information with Form 90. Results: Lost control, desired control, mental/physical problem, and craving were the most prevalent (> 70 %) AUD-symptoms. 54.9 % reported severe DSM-5 AUD (moderate: 28.2 %, mild: 16.9 %). Mean daily alcohol use was 6.3 drinks at 12 grams ethanol each. 93.9 % reported binging. More intense alcohol use was associated with greater AUD-severity and male gender. Country effects showed for alcohol use and AUD-severity. Conclusion: European ELDERLY-participants presented typical dependence symptoms, a wide range of severity, and intense alcohol use. This may underline the clinical significance of AUD in treatment-seeking seniors.

Download Full-text

Persönliche vs. computerbasierte Alkoholintervention für Krankenhauspatienten: Studiendesign

SUCHT - Zeitschrift für Wissenschaft und Praxis / Journal of Addiction Research and Practice ◽

10.1024/0939-5911.a000394 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 61 (6) ◽

pp. 347-355 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Jennis Freyer-Adam ◽

Sophie Baumann ◽

Inga Schnuerer ◽

Katja Haberecht ◽

Ulrich John ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Alcohol Use ◽

Alcohol Use Disorder ◽

Identification Test ◽

Disorder Identification

Zusammenfassung. Ziel: Persönliche Beratungen können bei stationären Krankenhauspatienten Alkoholkonsum und Mortalität reduzieren. Sie sind jedoch mit hohen Kosten verbunden, wenn aus Public-Health-Erfordernis viele Menschen einer Bevölkerung erreicht werden müssen. Computerbasierte Interventionen stellen eine Alternative dar. Jedoch ist ihre Wirksamkeit im Vergleich zu persönlichen Beratungen und im Allgemeinkrankenhaus noch unklar. Eine quasi-randomisierte Kontrollgruppenstudie „Die Bedeutung der Vermittlungsform für Alkoholinterventionen bei Allgemeinkrankenhauspatienten: Persönlich vs. Computerisiert“ soll dies untersuchen. Design und Methoden werden beschrieben. Methode: Über 18 Monate sind alle 18- bis 64-jährigen Patienten auf Stationen der Universitätsmedizin Greifswald mittels Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT) zu screenen. Frauen/Männer mit AUDIT-Consumption ≥ 4/5 und AUDIT < 20 werden einer von drei Gruppen zugeordnet: persönliche Intervention (Beratungen zur Konsumreduktion), computerbasierte Intervention (individualisierte Rückmeldebriefe und Broschüren) und Kontrollgruppe. Beide Interventionen erfolgen im Krankenhaus sowie telefonisch bzw. postalisch nach 1 und 3 Monaten. In computergestützten Telefoninterviews nach 6, 12, 18 und 24 Monaten wird Alkoholkonsum erfragt. Schlussfolgerung: Das Studienvorhaben, sofern erfolgreich umgesetzt, ist geeignet die längerfristige Wirksamkeit einer persönlichen und computerbasierten Intervention im Vergleich zu untersuchen.

Download Full-text