Objective: Occupational injuries are a significant problem in the US Army and civilian workforce, contributing to lost work time, loss of income, death or disability for the injured person, lost productivity for the employer, and lost readiness for the military. Our objective is to describe peacetime, on-duty injuries among active duty Army soldiers, and identify areas for future research and interventions. Methods: Using the Total Army Injury and Health Outcomes Database (TAIHOD), we identified 18,601 hospitalizations for on-duty injuries from 1990-1998. Results: Those hospitalized for on-duty injuries were mostly male (92%), enlisted (91%), white (72%), and age 30 or younger (80%). The most common causes of on-duty injury hospitalizations were falls (14%), parachuting (14%), machinery/tools (13%), athletics/sports (13%), motor vehicles (11%), and excessive heat (6%). 31% of all injuries were fractures, followed by sprains and strains (12%), other or unspecified effects of injury (10%), and open wounds (9%). The lower limb was the most common site for fractures and sprains/strains. 11% of all on-duty injuries occurred on the firing range. Conclusions: This study identifies causes and types of on-duty, non-war related injuries in the Army. The data suggests targeting interventions towards unique military activities like weapons firing and parachuting, as well as the traditional injury causes of athletics, falls, and motor vehicles. Future research should identify risk factors for on-duty injury, evaluate differences between on-duty and off-duty injuries, and examine specific occupations. Preventing on-duty injuries will reduce taxpayer healthcare costs and improve military readiness.
Learning Objectives: 1. Identify causes of on-duty injuries in the US Army. 2. Recognize similarities of on-duty injuries in the US Army and the civilian workforces. 3. Discuss ideas for research and interventions to prevent on-duty injuires in the US Army
Keywords: Occupational Injury and Death, Injury Risk
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: U.S. Army
I have a significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.
Relationship: Employer