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- Title
Methodological challenges of using U.S. Army administrative data to identify a cohort of basic combat trainees and descriptive analysis of trends in characteristics that are potential risk factors for training-related injury.
- Authors
Sulsky, Sandra I; Karlsson, Lee H; Bulzacchelli, Maria T; Luippold, Rose S; Rodriguez-Monguio, Rosa; Bulathsinhala, Lakmini; Hill, Owen T
- Abstract
<bold>Objectives: </bold>Training-related injury is a threat to military health and readiness. Prevalence of potential risk factors for training-related injury can change with U.S. Army recruitment goals and may influence basic combat training (BCT) injury rates. This article describes challenges of using administrative data to identify a trainee cohort and describes demographic and training characteristics across the five BCT locations.<bold>Methods: </bold>Data from the Total Army Injury and Health Outcomes Database were used to identify a U.S. Army-wide cohort of first-time trainees from January 1, 2002 to September 30, 2007 and describe its characteristics.<bold>Results: </bold>The cohort includes 368,102 first-time trainees. The annual number starting BCT increased from 52,187 in 2002 to 68,808 in 2004. The proportion of males increased from 81.57% in 2003 to 83.84% in 2007. Mean (SD) age increased from 20.67 (3.55) years in 2002 to 20.94 (3.65) years in 2007. Mean (SD) body mass index increased from 24.53 (3.56) kg/m(2) in 2002 to 24.94 (3.84) kg/m(2) in 2006. Other characteristics fluctuated by year, including proportions of race/ethnicity, accession waivers, and confirmed graduates.<bold>Conclusions: </bold>Fluctuations in trainee characteristics warrant further analysis of potential influence on BCT injury rates. For research uses, careful acquisition of administrative data is needed.
- Publication
Military Medicine, 2014, Vol 179, Issue 12, p1487
- ISSN
0026-4075
- Publication type
journal article
- DOI
10.7205/MILMED-D-14-00007