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Military Medicine Jan 2024Musculoskeletal (MSK) injuries and associated pain disorders are one of the leading causes for soldiers not being medically fit for deployment, impacting force...
INTRODUCTION
Musculoskeletal (MSK) injuries and associated pain disorders are one of the leading causes for soldiers not being medically fit for deployment, impacting force capability and readiness. Musculoskeletal pain continues to be a leading cause of disability within military services and is associated with a substantial financial burden. A better understanding of the effectiveness of MSK pain management strategies is required. This review was designed to determine the efficacy of nonsurgical interventions, such as physiotherapy, exercise, pharmacology, and multidisciplinary programs, to manage MSK conditions in active serving military populations.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, and SPORTDiscus were searched to identify relevant randomized clinical trials. Recommended methods were used for article identification, selection, and data extraction. The Cochrane Risk of Bias tool and the Grade of Recommendation, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation were used to appraise the studies. Where possible, meta-analyses were performed. The review was conducted according to the PRISMA guidelines.
RESULTS
Nineteen articles (1,408 participants) met the eligibility criteria. Low back pain (LBP) was the most frequently investigated condition, followed by knee pain, neck pain, and shoulder pain. Early physiotherapy, exercise and adjunct chiropractic manipulation (for LBP), and multidisciplinary pain programs (physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and psychology) (for chronic MSK pain) improved pain (standardized mean difference ranged from -0.39 to -1.34; low strength of evidence). Participation in multidisciplinary pain programs, adjunct chiropractic manipulation, and early physiotherapy improved disability (for LBP) (standardized mean difference ranged from -0.45 to -0.86; low to very low strength of evidence). No studies evaluated pain medication. Dietary supplements (glucosamine, chondroitin sulfate, and manganese ascorbate), electrotherapy, isolated lumbar muscle exercises, home cervical traction, or training in virtual reality showed no benefit. The studies had a high risk of bias, were typically underpowered, and demonstrated high clinical heterogeneity.
CONCLUSIONS
Currently available randomized clinical trials do not provide sufficient evidence to guide military organizations or health care professionals in making appropriate treatment decisions to manage MSK pain in active serving military personnel. Future research is essential to enable evidence-based recommendations for the effective management of MSK pain conditions in this unique population.
Topics: Humans; Military Personnel; Physical Therapy Modalities; Low Back Pain; Chronic Pain; Shoulder Pain
PubMed: 36722165
DOI: 10.1093/milmed/usac409 -
International Journal of Environmental... Jul 2022Intimate partner violence (IPV) may be a major concern in military and veteran populations, and the aims of this systematic review were to (1) provide best available... (Review)
Review
Intimate partner violence (IPV) may be a major concern in military and veteran populations, and the aims of this systematic review were to (1) provide best available estimates of overall prevalence based on studies that are most representative of relevant populations, and (2) contextualise these via examination of IPV types, impacts, and context. An electronic search of PsycINFO, CINHAL, PubMed, and the Cochrane Library databases identified studies utilising population-based designs or population screening strategies to estimate prevalence of IPV perpetration or victimisation reported by active duty (AD) military personnel or veterans. Random effects meta-analyses were used for quantitative analyses and were supplemented by narrative syntheses of heterogeneous data. Thirty-one studies involving 172,790 participants were included in meta-analyses. These indicated around 13% of all AD personnel and veterans reported any recent IPV perpetration, and around 21% reported any recent victimisation. There were higher rates of IPV perpetration in studies of veterans and health service settings, but no discernible differences were found according to gender, era of service, or country of origin. Psychological IPV was the most common form identified, while there were few studies of IPV impacts, or coercive and controlling behaviours. The findings demonstrate that IPV perpetration and victimisation occur commonly among AD personnel and veterans and highlight a strong need for responses across military and veteran-specific settings. However, there are gaps in understanding of impacts and context for IPV, including coercive and controlling behaviours, which are priority considerations for future research and policy.
Topics: Crime Victims; Humans; Intimate Partner Violence; Military Personnel; Research Design; Risk Factors; Veterans
PubMed: 35886702
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19148853 -
Journal of Health Services Research &... Jul 2023Research exploring the enablers and barriers that exist for military veterans seeking to address their poor mental health has produced ambiguous results. To identify the... (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVE
Research exploring the enablers and barriers that exist for military veterans seeking to address their poor mental health has produced ambiguous results. To identify the enablers and barriers correctly, this study systematically reviews the literature, including research that included alcohol and had a clearly defined veteran population.
METHODS
Six databases were searched. Inclusion criteria specified that empirical studies related to veterans that had ceased military service and were seeking help for poor mental health and/or alcohol difficulties. Critical Appraisal Skills Programme and AXIS appraisal tools were used to assess quality and bias. A narrative synthesis approach was adopted for analysis. From 2044 studies screened, 12 were included featuring 5501 participants.
RESULTS
Forty-four enablers and barriers were identified, with thirty-two being statistically significant. Post-traumatic stress disorder had the greatest number of enabler/barrier endorsements to veterans seeking help. Depression, anxiety, experience and attitudes also acted as enablers/barriers. Most studies were of fair methodological quality. Limitations included that samples were skewed towards US army veterans. Little research exists concerning those that have ceased military service.
CONCLUSIONS
Veteran help-seeking is likely enabled by poor mental health symptomology and comorbidity, which suggests veterans reach a crisis point before they seek help. Further research on alcohol misuse and attitude formation is required. The field would also benefit from alternative study designs including qualitative studies with non-US participants.
Topics: Humans; Veterans; Mental Health; Military Personnel; Anxiety; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic
PubMed: 36636855
DOI: 10.1177/13558196221149930 -
Military Medicine Jan 2024Previous and limited assessments of breastfeeding in women serving on active duty in the U.S. military demonstrate varied and conflicting data regarding breastfeeding...
BACKGROUND
Previous and limited assessments of breastfeeding in women serving on active duty in the U.S. military demonstrate varied and conflicting data regarding breastfeeding outcomes. Disparities exist within the military where enlisted service members have consistently lower rates of breastfeeding duration compared to officers. Yet, little is known about successful care practices and military policies that promote breastfeeding in military women. The aim of this systematic review is to examine care practices and military policies associated with increased breastfeeding initiation and duration among women serving in the U.S. military.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
We searched Cochrane Database, Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature, PubMed, and PsycInfo for studies published from 2000 to 2022 that included U.S. military personnel and that focused on care practices and military policies that support breastfeeding. Our search terms included (breastfeeding OR breastfeed AND military) and (lactation OR lactating AND military). We included randomized controlled trials, quasi-experimental, cohort, cross-sectional, and other observational designs. We evaluated potential bias in studies using the Evidence Project Risk of Bias Tool and synthesized the overall evidence using the Johns Hopkins Nursing Evidence-Based Practice Synthesis and Recommendations Tool.
RESULTS
We included 14 studies that were independently reviewed by two authors. Breastfeeding initiation rates among military women were between 66% and 98%, and breastfeeding duration rates at 6 months ranged from 13% to 62%. In these studies, researchers examined various inpatient care practices (skin-to-skin care, timing of circumcision, and infant baths) (n = 3), care delivered by different types of providers (n = 3), group versus individual prenatal care (n = 2), breastfeeding education (n = 2), length of maternity leave (n = 2), and workplace support (n = 2). Skin-to-skin contact following delivery was positively associated with breastfeeding outcomes. There is insufficient evidence to determine if care by different types of medical providers, different types of prenatal care and education, timing of circumcision or baths, length of maternity leave, and workplace support influence breastfeeding outcomes.
CONCLUSION
Certain perinatal practices designed to encourage early skin-to-skin contact appear to improve breastfeeding initiation and duration among women serving in the U.S. military. However, there is an overall lack of quality evidence supporting effective practices and policies associated with increased breastfeeding initiation and duration in this population. Given the recent movement toward policy changes that support pregnant and postpartum service members across services, more research is needed to determine the impact of these and other practices and policies on breastfeeding rates, specifically among enlisted service members who have demonstrated lower breastfeeding rates than officers.
Topics: Infant; Female; Pregnancy; Humans; Breast Feeding; Lactation; Military Personnel; Cross-Sectional Studies; Prenatal Care
PubMed: 37167026
DOI: 10.1093/milmed/usad128 -
Military Medicine Aug 2020Major depression is a leading cause of morbidity in military personnel and an important impediment to operational readiness in military organizations. Although treatment...
INTRODUCTION
Major depression is a leading cause of morbidity in military personnel and an important impediment to operational readiness in military organizations. Although treatment options are available, a large proportion of individuals with depression do not access mental health services. Quantifying and closing this treatment gap is a public health priority. However, the scientific literature on the major depression treatment gap in military organizations has never been systematically reviewed.
METHODS
We systematically searched the EMBASE, MEDLINE, and PsychINFO databases for studies measuring recent mental health service use in personnel serving in the armed forces of a Five-Eye country (Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, or the United States). We excluded studies conducted with retired veterans. Because of the substantial heterogeneity in included studies, we did not pool their results. Instead, we computed median period prevalence of mental health service use.
RESULTS
Twenty-eight studies were included in the systematic review; 12 had estimated mental health service use in personnel with depression, and another 16 had estimated mental health service use in personnel with depression or another mental health disorder. The period prevalence of mental health service use in depressed military personnel ranged from 20 to 75% in 12 included studies, with a median of 48%, over 2-12 months. The other 16 studies yielded similar conclusions; they reported period prevalence of mental health service use in personnel with any mental health disorder ranging from 14 to 75%, with a median of 36%, over 1-12 months. The median was higher in studies relying on diagnostic interviews to identify depressed personnel, compared to studies relying on screening tools (60% vs. 44%).
CONCLUSIONS
There is a large treatment gap for major depression in particular, and for mental health disorders in general, among military personnel. However, our results highlight the association between the use of measurement tools and treatment gaps: estimated treatment gaps were larger when depressed patients were identified by screening tools instead of diagnostic interviews. Researchers should be wary of overestimating the mental health treatment gap when using screening tools in future studies.
Topics: Humans; Mental Disorders; Mental Health Services; Military Personnel; Veterans
PubMed: 32073617
DOI: 10.1093/milmed/usaa015 -
Sports Medicine (Auckland, N.Z.) Mar 2024Athletes and military personnel are often expected to compete and work in hot and/or humid environments, where decrements in performance and an increased risk of... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
Athletes and military personnel are often expected to compete and work in hot and/or humid environments, where decrements in performance and an increased risk of exertional heat illness are prevalent. A physiological strategy for reducing the adverse effects of heat stress is to acclimatise to the heat.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this systematic review was to quantify the effects of relocating to a hotter climate to undergo heat acclimatisation in athletes and military personnel.
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
Studies investigating the effects of heat acclimatisation in non-acclimatised athletes and military personnel via relocation to a hot climate for < 6 weeks were included.
DATA SOURCES
MEDLINE, SPORTDiscus, CINAHL Plus with Full Text and Scopus were searched from inception to June 2022.
RISK OF BIAS
A modified version of the McMaster critical review form was utilised independently by two authors to assess the risk of bias.
DATA SYNTHESIS
A Bayesian multi-level meta-analysis was conducted on five outcome measures, including resting core temperature and heart rate, the change in core temperature and heart rate during a heat response test and sweat rate. Wet-bulb globe temperature (WBGT), daily training duration and protocol length were used as predictor variables. Along with posterior means and 90% credible intervals (CrI), the probability of direction (Pd) was calculated.
RESULTS
Eighteen articles from twelve independent studies were included. Fourteen articles (nine studies) provided data for the meta-analyses. Whilst accounting for WBGT, daily training duration and protocol length, population estimates indicated a reduction in resting core temperature and heart rate of - 0.19 °C [90% CrI: - 0.41 to 0.05, Pd = 91%] and - 6 beats·min [90% CrI: - 16 to 5, Pd = 83%], respectively. Furthermore, the rise in core temperature and heart rate during a heat response test were attenuated by - 0.24 °C [90% CrI: - 0.67 to 0.20, Pd = 85%] and - 7 beats·min [90% CrI: - 18 to 4, Pd = 87%]. Changes in sweat rate were conflicting (0.01 L·h [90% CrI: - 0.38 to 0.40, Pd = 53%]), primarily due to two studies demonstrating a reduction in sweat rate following heat acclimatisation.
CONCLUSIONS
Data from athletes and military personnel relocating to a hotter climate were consistent with a reduction in resting core temperature and heart rate, in addition to an attenuated rise in core temperature and heart rate during an exercise-based heat response test. An increase in sweat rate is also attainable, with the extent of these adaptations dependent on WBGT, daily training duration and protocol length.
PROSPERO REGISTRATION
CRD42022337761.
Topics: Humans; Military Personnel; Bayes Theorem; Hot Temperature; Exercise; Heat Stress Disorders; Athletes
PubMed: 38051495
DOI: 10.1007/s40279-023-01972-4 -
BMJ Military Health Apr 2021Musculoskeletal foot and ankle injuries are commonly experienced by soldiers during military training. We performed a systematic review to assess epidemiological...
INTRODUCTION
Musculoskeletal foot and ankle injuries are commonly experienced by soldiers during military training. We performed a systematic review to assess epidemiological patterns of foot and ankle injuries occurring during military training.
METHODS
A review of the literature was performed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. The search, done on 14 February 2019, resulted in 1603 reports on PubMed, 565 on Embase and 3 on the Cochrane Library. After reading the remaining full-text articles, we included 91 studies.
RESULTS
Among a population of 8 092 281 soldiers from 15 countries, 788 469 (9.74%) foot and ankle injuries were recorded. Among the 49 studies that reported on length of training, there were 36 770/295 040 (18.17%) injuries recorded among women and 248 660/1 501 672 (16.56%) injuries recorded among men over a pooled mean (±SD) training period of 4.51±2.34 months. Ankle injuries were roughly 7 times more common than foot injuries, and acute injuries were roughly 24 times more common than non-acute injuries. Our findings indicated that, during a 3-month training period, soldiers have a 3.14% chance of sustaining a foot and ankle injury. The incidence of foot or ankle injury during military parachutist training was 3.1 injuries per thousand jumps.
CONCLUSIONS
Our findings provide an overview of epidemiological patterns of foot and ankle injuries during military training. These data can be used to compare incidence rates of foot and ankle injuries due to acute or non-acute mechanisms during training. Cost-effective methods of preventing acute ankle injuries and non-acute foot injuries are needed to address this problem.
Topics: Adolescent; Ankle Injuries; Female; Foot Injuries; Global Health; Humans; Incidence; Male; Military Personnel; Teaching; Young Adult
PubMed: 33168697
DOI: 10.1136/bmjmilitary-2020-001591 -
Global Spine Journal Aug 2019Systematic review. (Review)
Review
STUDY DESIGN
Systematic review.
OBJECTIVES
War-related spinal cord injuries (SCIs) are commonly more severe and complex than traumatic SCIs among civilians. This systematic review, for the first time, synthesized and critically appraised the literature on the epidemiology of war-related SCIs. This review aimed to identify distinct features from the civilian SCIs that can have an impact on the management of military and civilian SCIs.
METHODS
Medline, EMBASE, and PsycINFO databases were searched for articles on epidemiology of war-related SCI among combatants, published from 1946 to December 20, 2017. This review included only original publications on epidemiological aspects of SCIs that occur during an act of war. The STROBE statement was used to examine the quality of the publications.
RESULTS
The literature search identified 1594 publications, of which 25 articles fulfilled the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The studies were classified into the following topics: 17 articles reported demographics, level and severity of SCI, mechanism of injury and/or associated bodily injuries; 5 articles reported the incidence of war-related SCI; and 6 articles reported the frequency of SCI among other war-related bodily injuries. Overall, military personnel with war-related SCI were typically young, white men, with predominantly thoracic or lumbar level, complete (American Spinal Injury Association [ASIA] Impairment Scale A) SCI due to gunshot or explosion and often associated with other bodily injuries. Marines appear to be at a greater risk of war-related SCI than the military personal in the Army, Navy, and Air Force.
CONCLUSIONS
The war-related SCIs among soldiers are distinct from the traumatic SCI in the general population. The majority of the current literature is based on the American experiences in most recent wars.
PubMed: 31431879
DOI: 10.1177/2192568218776914 -
Applied Ergonomics May 2021Carrying heavy loads results in biomechanical changes to gait and to an increased risk of injury in soldiers. The aim of this review is to examine the effects of... (Review)
Review
Carrying heavy loads results in biomechanical changes to gait and to an increased risk of injury in soldiers. The aim of this review is to examine the effects of military specific load carriage on the gait of soldiers. The Web of Science, PubMed and CINAHL databases were searched, a total of 1239 records were screened and 20 papers were included in the review. Participant, load and task characteristics and a summary of key findings were extracted. Due to heterogeneity in the reviewed studies, analysis was restricted to qualitative synthesis. There were limited effects on spatio-temporal variables but consistently reported increased trunk, hip and knee flexion and increased hip and knee extension moments. Muscle activation of lower limb and trunk muscles were also increased with loads. However, there were some conflicting findings for most parameters reviewed and apart from spatio-temporal parameters the findings of this review were in line with previous reviews of combined military and civilian populations.
Topics: Biomechanical Phenomena; Gait; Humans; Military Personnel; Walking; Weight-Bearing
PubMed: 33540208
DOI: 10.1016/j.apergo.2021.103376 -
BMJ Military Health Feb 2021Norovirus gastroenteritis is one of the most frequent causes of personnel unavailability in military units, being associated with significant morbidity and degradation...
INTRODUCTION
Norovirus gastroenteritis is one of the most frequent causes of personnel unavailability in military units, being associated with significant morbidity and degradation of their operational effectiveness. The disease is usually mild but can be severe and life-threatening in young and healthy soldiers, who are prone to dehydration due to intensive daily activity. Despite its impact, the full extent of the norovirus gastroenteritis burden in military forces remains unclear. This systematic review aims to evaluate the impact and ascertain clinical and epidemiological features of norovirus outbreaks that have occurred in the military forces.
METHODS
The systematic review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systemic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines and used three databases: PubMed, Scopus, and LILACs. Papers published up to 1 September 2019 were included without restrictions if they reported one or more outbreaks in the military forces on active duty, either on national territories or deployed overseas.
RESULTS
A total of 343 papers were retrieved from the literature search. After inclusion/exclusion criteria a total of 39 eligible papers were considered. From 1988 (first reported outbreak in the military) to 2018 more than 101 norovirus outbreaks have been reported in the military, accounting for at least 24 332 cases. Secondary transmission was emphasised as the main route of norovirus transmission in the military forces, with eating outside the military setting an important route for the primary cases.
CONCLUSIONS
The present review highlights that norovirus gastroenteritis has been a burden to military troops both in combat and on peacekeeping operations. Norovirus disease has been shown to exact a substantial toll on mission readiness and operational effectiveness. It is noteworthy that the impact of norovirus outbreaks among military units is underestimated because the literature review retrieved information from the armed forces from only nine countries.
Topics: Caliciviridae Infections; Disease Outbreaks; Humans; Military Medicine; Military Personnel; Norovirus
PubMed: 32409618
DOI: 10.1136/bmjmilitary-2019-001341