DoD Military Injury Prevention Priorities Working Group: Leading Injuries, Causes and Mitigation Recommendations

The past decade has witnessed growing recognition that injuries are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality for the U.S. Military, eroding combat readiness more than any other single disease or health condition in this generally healthy and physically active population, which is relatively free o...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Ruscio, Bruce, Smith, Jack, Amoroso, Paul, Anslinger, Jerry, Bullock, Steve, Burnham, Bruce, Campbell, John, Chervak, Michelle, Garbow, Kurt, Garver, Richard
Format: Report
Language:English
Subjects:
ACCIDENTS
HOSPITALIZATIONS
INJURY MITIGATION
INJURY PREVENTION
Medicine and Medical Research
Military Forces and Organizations
MILITARY MEDICINE
MILITARY PERSONNEL
MISHAPS
MUSCULOSKELETAL INJURIES
PREVENTION
SAFETY
TASK FORCES
WOUNDS AND INJURIES
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Summary:The past decade has witnessed growing recognition that injuries are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality for the U.S. Military, eroding combat readiness more than any other single disease or health condition in this generally healthy and physically active population, which is relatively free of competing causes of death and severe illness. In the 1990s, medical and safety data revealed that across the Services accidental injuries caused (Atlas of Injuries in U.S. Armed Forces, Military Medicine, 1999): * 47% (Air Force) to 57% (Marine Corps) of all deaths; * 22% (Air Force) to 63% (Navy and Marine Corps) of all disabilities; and * 22% (Air Force) to 31% (Marine Corps) of all hospitalizations. Further, Service member injuries cost hundreds of millions of dollars annually, consuming Services resources and challenging operational effectiveness. To address the magnitude of the injury problem of the U.S. Military, in 2003 the Secretary of Defense mandated that rates of accidents and injuries must be significantly reduced and established the Defense Safety Oversight Council (DSOC) to provide governance on DoD-wide efforts to reduce preventable mishaps. Subsequently, the DSOC requested the establishment of the DoD Military Injury Prevention Priorities Working Group (DMIPPWG) (Appendix A) to outline a systematic, coordinated approach to injury prevention similar to the public health approach outlined in the Atlas of Injuries (Military Medicine, 1999). This white paper describes the DMIPPWG's process for establishing an evidence-based ranking of DoD prevention priorities, presents a DoD-wide process for analysis, and provides recommendations for intervention initiatives. The original document contains color images.