Mortality Surveillance in the U.S. Army 2005-2011
Abstract
Mortality surveillance can be used by military leaders and public health practitioners in the U.S. Army to focus prevention efforts, plan programs, allocate resources, develop policies, monitor trends, and suggest mitigating strategies, including actionable recommendations. From 2005 to 2011 there were 6,939 deaths in the U.S. Army based on mortality data stored in the Department of Defense (DOD) Medical Mortality Registry maintained by the Mortality Surveillance Division of the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System. The highest crude mortality rates and proportion of deaths among all categories of death were for combat-related deaths and accidental deaths. An observed increase in combat-related deaths in 2007 was likely due to heavy sustained combat and casualties resulting from the 2007 troop surge in Iraq. As sustained combat decreased in 2008, rates and proportions of combat-related deaths decreased thereafter. The crude mortality rate of accidental deaths decreased from 2005 compared to 2011. The proportion of accidental deaths caused by drugs or alcohol increased from 2005 (10%) to 2011 (24%) while the proportion due to motor vehicle accidents decreased from 2005 (56%) to 2011 (37%). Seventy percent of accidental deaths were transportation-related. Gunshot wounds accounted for 68% of suicides and 69% of homicides. Crude mortality rates for suicide in the U.S. Army increased from 2005 to 2011.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 01, 2016
- Accession Number
- AD1217073
Entities
People
- Amy M. Bell
- Brent E. Mancha
- Christine Lagana-riordan
- Eren Y. Watkins
- John Wills