Differences in problem alcohol drinking by military service type among male professional military personnel in South Korea using Military Health Survey data

ObjectivesAlcohol drinking prevalence in Korea is higher than in other countries and is associated with various social and health problems. Korean culture tends to be tolerant of alcohol drinking and to regard it as an important medium for maintaining good interpersonal relationships in one’s social life. Although alcohol drinking is a means of relieving stress, especially among soldiers, who engage in more binge drinking than civilians, there is lack of research focused on problem drinking among soldiers. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore the extent of problem drinking across all military services and to identify factors associated with problem drinking by military service type.DesignSecondary data analysis.SettingDataset of the Military Health Survey in 2015.ParticipantsAltogether, 2252 male professional military personnel were included in this study.Main outcome measureProblem drinking in this study was defined as at-risk drinking and alcohol abuse or dependence with an Alcohol Use Disorders Identification-Korean (AUDIT-K) score of 10 points or higher.ResultsThe average AUDIT-K score was 7.38±4.10 points. The prevalence of problem drinking was 16.4% for the Army, 34.5% for the Navy and 32.1% for the Air Force. Factors associated with problem drinking for each military service type were sleep satisfaction (OR 2.33, 95% CI 1.284 to 4.236) and family support (OR 0.66, 95% CI 0.487 to 0.904) in the Army, smoking status (OR 1.85, 95% CI 1.130 to 3.039) and sleep satisfaction (OR 2.29, 95% CI 1.142 to 4.574) in the Navy and marital status (OR 0.60, 95% CI 0.382 to 0.951), smoking (past smokers and non-smokers OR 2.81, 95% CI 1.593 to 4.973, current smokers and non-smokers OR 1.68, 95% CI 1.114 to 2.544), subjective oral health (OR 1.83, 95% CI 1.011 to 3.297) and family support (OR 0.63, 95% CI 0.45 to 0.88) in the Air Force.ConclusionWhen implementing health projects to address drinking problems, it is necessary to ensure that service-type-specific factors are considered for integrated management.

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Associations between earplug use and hearing loss in ROK military personnel

BMJ Military Health ◽

10.1136/jramc-2019-001378 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. jramc-2019-001378

Author(s):

Hwi Jun Kim ◽

S Y Oh ◽

S Y Won ◽

H J Kim ◽

T K Kim ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hearing Loss ◽

Logistic Regression ◽

Regression Analysis ◽

Air Force ◽

Logistic Regression Analysis ◽

Military Personnel ◽

Military Service ◽

Military Health ◽

The Republic ◽

The Military

IntroductionThe easiest way to prevent noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is to wear earplugs. The Republic of Korea (ROK) Ministry of National Defense (MND) is supplying earplugs to prevent NIHL, but many patients still suffer from this. We speculated that earplugs would have a high NIHL rate, depending on the rate of use of earplugs, regardless of the rate of supply. Therefore, we conducted this study to investigate the relationship between the use of earplugs and hearing loss by ROK military personnel.MethodsThe study used data from the Military Health Survey conducted in 2014–2015, which included 13 470 questionnaires completed by ROK military personnel. Hearing loss and earplug use were self-reported. Logistic regression analysis was used to assess associations between earplug use and hearing loss.ResultsThe study sample included 13 470 ROK military personnel (response rate of 71.2%) (Army, 8330 (61.8%); Navy/Marines, 2236 (16.6%); and Air Force, 2904 (21.6%)). Overall, 18.8% of Korean military personnel reported that they always wore earplugs, and 2.8% reported hearing loss. In logistic regression analysis, there were significant differences in the rates of hearing loss associated with wearing earplugs sometimes (OR=1.48, 95% CI 1.07 to 2.05) and never wearing earplugs (OR=1.53, 95% CI 1.12 to 2.10). In subgroup analysis, in Air Force, non-combat branch, forward area and long-term military service personnel increased hearing loss was associated with not wearing earplugs.ConclusionOur study confirmed that within the ROK military, there is an association between hearing loss and lack of earplug use. In the ROK MND, Army, Navy/Marines and Air Force headquarters must provide guidelines for the use of earplugs during field training to protect military personnel’s hearings and, if necessary, need to be regulated or institutionalised.

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A Review of Military Health Research Using a Social–Ecological Framework

American Journal of Health Promotion ◽

10.1177/0890117117744849 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 32 (4) ◽

pp. 1078-1090 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Pauline Lubens ◽

Tim A. Bruckner

Keyword(s):

Health Outcomes ◽

Military Personnel ◽

Health Research ◽

Military Service ◽

Federal State ◽

Post Traumatic Stress ◽

Care Needs ◽

Military Health ◽

Social Ecological ◽

Combat Deployment

Objective: We aim to contextualize the growing body of research on the sequelae of military service in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. We employ a social–ecological (SE) framework for the taxonomy of military health research and classify risk as arising from the individual, family, community, and the institutional levels. We intend for this review to inform enhanced health promotion efforts in military communities. Data Source: Articles reviewed were extracted from Web of Science, PubMed, and Scopus. Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria: Research focused on somatic and psychological sequelae of combat deployment published from 2001—the year the war in Afghanistan began—through the end of 2014. We excluded studies of non-US military personnel, other systematic reviews, meta-analyses, book chapters, and theoretical papers. Data Extraction: We examined and summarized the aims, participants, methods, study design, SE framework tier, risk factors, and health outcomes. Data Synthesis: Studies were categorized according to SE tier, whether they focused on somatic, behavioral, or psychological outcomes, and by risk factor. Results: Of the 352 peer-reviewed papers, 84% focused on war’s sequelae on the index military personnel, and 75% focused on mental or behavioral health outcomes—mostly on post-traumatic stress disorder. We find comparatively little research focusing on the family, community, or institutional tiers. Conclusions: We know relatively little about how family and community respond to the return of personnel from combat deployment; how family resources affect the health of returning military personnel; and how a war’s persistence presents challenges for federal, state, and local agencies to meet military health-care needs. Such work is especially salient as US troops return home from war—particularly in communities where there are substantial military populations.

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SARCOIDOSIS IN MILITARY PERSONNEL: BASES OF DIAGNOSTICS, TREATMENT AND FOLLOW-UP

Marine Medicine ◽

10.22328/2413-5747-2019-5-4-7-14 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 5 (4) ◽

pp. 7-14

Author(s):

A. A. Zaitsev ◽

A. A. Wiesel ◽

D. N. Antipushina

Keyword(s):

Military Personnel ◽

Military Service ◽

Clinical Manifestations ◽

Law Enforcement Agencies ◽

Factors Associated ◽

Asymptomatic Patients ◽

Unified Algorithm ◽

History Of ◽

Diffusion Function ◽

The Military

Sarcoidosis is an urgent problem for the military medical service of various law enforcement agencies. In recent years, there has been an increase in the incidence of sarcoidosis among young people undergoing military service and the creation of a unified algorithm of medical care for this contingent is important. The publication presents the epidemiology of the disease, known risk factors, and triggers for the development of sarcoidosis in military sailors. The most important factors associated with a high risk of sarcoidosis are: high dustiness of the air, diesel and rocket fuel vapors, and various types of radiation. In military personnel, the second stage of sarcoidosis is most common. The recurrence rate of the disease is 20%, and the factors associated with the recurrent course of sarcoidosis in military personnel are — the age of more than 35 years; the presence of clinical manifestations of sarcoidosis (cough, weakness, shortness of breath); forced lung capacity <85%; a history of systemic glucocorticosteroids. The article presents the recommended algorithm and methods for examining patients with sarcoidosis. It is noted that the main point is the mandatory morphological verification of the process in the military. Special attention is paid to the treatment of sarcoidosis in the publication. It is noted that, given the high frequency of remissions, treatment is not indicated for stage I, as well as for asymptomatic patients with stages II and III of sarcoidosis, provided that only mild disorders of the ventilation and diffusion function of the lungs are present. All patients with sarcoidosis are subject to active medical supervision.

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Incidence and Risk Factors Associated with Meniscal Injuries Among Active-Duty US Military Service Members

Journal of Athletic Training ◽

10.4085/1062-6050-47.1.67 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 47 (1) ◽

pp. 67-73 ◽

Cited By ~ 61

Author(s):

Jennifer C. Jones ◽

Robert Burks ◽

Brett D. Owens ◽

Rodney X. Sturdivant ◽

Steven J. Svoboda ◽

...

Keyword(s):

At Risk ◽

Incidence Rate ◽

Military Personnel ◽

Military Service ◽

Rate Ratio ◽

Incidence Rate Ratio ◽

Active Duty ◽

Meniscal Injury ◽

Factors Associated ◽

Active Duty Military

Context:Few population-based studies have examined the incidence of meniscal injuries, and limited information is available on the influence of patient's demographic and occupational factors.Objective:To examine the incidence of meniscal injuries and the influence of demographic and occupational factors among active-duty US service members between 1998 and 2006.Design:Cohort study.Setting:Using the International Classification of Diseases (9th revision) codes 836.0 (medial meniscus), 836.1 (lateral meniscus), and 836.2 (meniscus unspecified), we extracted injury data from the Defense Medical Surveillance System to identify all acute meniscal injuries among active-duty military personnel.Patients or Other Participants:Active-duty military personnel serving in all branches of military service during the study period.Main Outcome Measure(s):Incidence rate (IR) per 1000 person-years at risk and crude and adjusted rates by strata for age, sex, race, rank, and service.Results:During the study period, 100201 acute meniscal injuries and 12115606 person-years at risk for injury were documented. The overall IR was 8.27 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 8.22, 8.32) per 1000 person-years. Main effects were noted for all demographic and occupational variables (P< .001), indicating that age, sex, race, rank, and service were associated with the incidence of meniscal injuries. Men were almost 20% more likely to experience an acute meniscal injury than were women (incidence rate ratio = 1.18, 95% CI = 1.15, 1.20). The rate of meniscal injury increased with age; those older than 40 years of age experienced injuries more than 4 times as often as those under 20 years of age (incidence rate ratio = 4.25,95% CI = 4.08, 4.42).Conclusions:The incidence of meniscal injury was sub-stantially higher in this study than in previously reported studies. Male sex, increasing age, and service in the Army or Marine Corps were factors associated with meniscal injuries.

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What Did We Miss? Analysis of Military Personnel Responses to an Open-Ended Question in a Post-Deployment Health Survey

Military Medicine ◽

10.1093/milmed/usab565 ◽

2022 ◽

Author(s):

Catherine E Runge ◽

Katrina M Moss ◽

Judith A Dean ◽

Michael Waller

Keyword(s):

Middle East ◽

Air Force ◽

Military Personnel ◽

Military Service ◽

Health Surveys ◽

Descriptive Statistics ◽

Organizational Issues ◽

Institutional Review ◽

Australian Defence Force ◽

Response Biases

ABSTRACT Introduction Post-deployment health surveys completed by military personnel ask about a range of deployment experiences. These surveys are conducted to determine if there are links between experiences and poor health. Responses to open-ended questions in these surveys can identify experiences that might otherwise go unreported. These responses may increase knowledge about a particular deployment and inform future surveys. This study documented deployment experiences described by Australian Defence Force personnel who were deployed to the Middle East. Materials and Methods A survey completed by 14,032 personnel examined health outcomes and over 100 experiences relating to their Middle East deployment. Responses to two open-ended questions captured additional experiences. Descriptive statistics reveal the characteristics of those who did and did not describe additional experiences, and a content analysis details the nature and frequency of the experiences reported. The study was approved by an Institutional Review Board. Results Five percentage (n = 692) of personnel who completed the survey described additional deployment experiences. The most frequently reported experiences were specific Navy experiences; experiences of poor leadership; administrative or organizational issues; the anthrax vaccine; and traumatic events/potentially morally injurious experiences. Conclusions The findings suggest that post-deployment health surveys should have questions about certain deployment experiences tailored by military service (i.e., Air Force, Army, and Navy). Researchers could consider including questions about personnel experiences of leadership for its impact on health and about potentially morally injurious experiences that may help explain adverse mental health. Clear wording of open-ended questions and participant instructions may improve response rates and reduce response biases.

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Caffeine Prevalence, Daily Consumption, and Factors Associated with Use among Active Duty United States Military Personnel

10.21203/rs.3.rs-1138093/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Joseph J Knapik ◽

Ryan A Steelman ◽

Daniel W. Trone ◽

Emily K. Farina ◽

Harris R. Lieberman

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Military Personnel ◽

Military Service ◽

Active Duty ◽

Service Members ◽

Caffeine Intake ◽

Daily Consumption ◽

Nutrition Survey ◽

Men And Women ◽

Factors Associated

Abstract Background: Although representative data on caffeine intake in Americans are available these data do not include US service members (SMs). The few previous investigations in military personnel largely involve convenience samples. This cross-sectional study examined prevalence of caffeine use, daily consumption, and factors associated with use among United States active duty military service members (SMs). Methods: A stratified random sample of 200,000 SMs were asked to complete a questionnaire on their personal characteristics and consumption of caffeinated products. Eighteen percent (n=26,680) of successfully contacted SMs (n=146,365) completed the questionnaire. Results: Overall, 87% reported consuming caffeinated products ≥1 time/week. Mean ± standard error per-capita consumption (all participants) was 218±2 and 167±3 mg/day for men and women, respectively. Caffeine consumers ingested 243±2 mg/day (251±2 mg/day men, 195±3 mg/day women). On a body-weight basis, men and women consumed respectively similar caffeine amounts (2.93 vs 2.85 mg/day/kg; p=0.12). Among individual caffeinated products, coffee had the highest prevalence (68%), followed by sodas (42%), teas (29%), energy drinks (29%) and gums/candy/medications (4%). In multivariable logistic regression, characteristics independently associated with higher use prevalence (≥1 time/week) included female gender, older age, white race/ethnicity, higher body mass index, tobacco use or former use, greater alcohol intake, and higher enlisted or officer rank. Conclusion: Compared to National Health and Nutrition Survey Examination data, daily consumption (mg/day) by SMs was higher, perhaps reflecting higher mental and physical occupational demands on SMs.

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Pharmacoeconomic analysis of drug supply of the military personnel with chronic bronchitis

Current issues in pharmacy and medicine science and practice ◽

10.14739/2409-2932.2021.3.241270 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 14 (3) ◽

pp. 336-342

Author(s):

O. V. Plieshkova ◽

O. V. Bielozorova ◽

M. V. Bilous ◽

D. V. Drozdov ◽

A. V. Nikituk

Keyword(s):

Chronic Bronchitis ◽

Military Personnel ◽

Military Service ◽

Pharmacoeconomic Analysis ◽

Economic Benefits ◽

Expert Assessment ◽

Drug Supply ◽

Military Health ◽

The Cost ◽

The Military

Despite the superiority of bronchitis in the structure of respiratory diseases in the military personnel, its course develops with certain peculiarities due to the peculiarities of military service. Consequently, the optimization of the costs of providing the military personnel with medicines is becoming more and more of medical and social importance. Reasonable selection of medicines in the treatment of chronic bronchitis is the result of the choice of effective and safe drugs, considering the cost of the components for military health care. Aim. To perform a pharmacoeconomic analysis of drug supply to the military personnel with chronic bronchitis. Materials and methods. The materials of the study were a database of drugs registered in Ukraine, presented on the official website of the State Institution “State Expert Center” of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine. The study employed “cost – effectiveness” method, which allows comparing the cost of a particular treatment method and its effectiveness. Results. The scheme of the pharmacoeconomic analysis method has been offered. According to the results of the previously formed list of drugs for the treatment of military personnel with chronic bronchitis, a further analysis of the proposed range of drugs is conducted using an expert survey. By calculating the efficacy ratio within each presented pharmacotherapeutic group, a 10-item list of the most optimal drugs for the treatment of chronic bronchitis has been compiled. Conclusions. Pharmacoeconomic analysis of medical supply to the military personnel is a constructive solution in the process of identifying manufacturers as potential suppliers of medicines to cover the needs of the medical service of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Based on the results of the pharmacoeconomic analysis of the drug supply to military personnel with chronic bronchitis, a recommended list of drugs for their treatment has been formed. However, this list can be expanded to include drugs with the highest efficacy – according to the expert assessment. In the future it may become the basis for inclusion of drugs in the clinical protocols of medical care and could be used for the development of cost standards for the relevant nosological forms, which will improve the efficiency and quality of treatment and will provide economic benefits.

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