Economic Impact of Combat-Related Injuries from the Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan
Abstract
Background: In the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan more than 59,000 US military have been wounded, with 6,800+ dying. The economic impact of these injuries is not well quantified. Hypothesis: Innovations in combat casualty care during these wars increased survival. We hypothesize that they also reduced care costs and improved outcomes for survivors. Aims: The proposed study aims to (1) quantify economic impacts of combat-related injuries to US service members incurred in these conflicts, (2) evaluate outcomes of and return on investment in selected combat casualty care innovations from military, Federal government, and societal perspectives, and (3) study the effects of alterative field and transport treatment protocols on the course and outcomes of moderate to severe traumatic brain injury. Study Design: We will build incidence, cost, and Disability-Adjusted Life Year (DALY) estimates from DoD, Department of Veterans Affairs, and Social Security Administration earnings databases, plus diagnosis-specific civilian data on missing cost factors. We will use case-control studies to better understand impacts of trauma and of combat casualty care innovations on mortality, medical costs, and earnings losses. We will compute cost/DALY and cost-benefit estimates for a variety of trauma prevention and treatment innovations. Relevance: This study will provide information military leaders can use to inform policymakers and the public about the savings resulting from advanced trauma care techniques and the research that developed them and to support the need for an ongoing program of innovative research after the wars end and provide information that hastens diffusion of those innovations into the civilian sector.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 01, 2017
- Accession Number
- AD1050453
Entities
People
- Ted R. Miller
Organizations
- Pacific Institute For Research and Evaluation