Disease and Injury in U.S. Navy Engineering Occupations.
Abstract
This prospective study assessed the risk of occurrence of disease and injury in active-duty enlisted Navy engineering personnel compared to the total Navy during two time periods, 1974-79 and 1980-83. All white male active-duty enlisted personnel in 10 Navy engineering occupations were identified from the NHRC Career History File for the two time periods. Hospitalizations were identified from the NHRC Medical History File and diagnoses were grouped into 15 disease and injury categories. Standardized Morbidity Ratios (SMRs) were calculated as a summary measure of risk to minimize the effects of differing age-distributions in the occupations under study. Significance testing was performed using the Poisson distribution. All Navy engineering occupations combined had about 20% higher risks for nervous system disorders (principally hearing loss), musculoskeletal disorders, and accidents. This excess was statistically significant, and a large proportion of this excess was contributed by one occupational group: Boiler Technicians. Other high risk occupations were Hull Maintenance Technicians, Enginemen, and Machinist's Mates. Results of this study indicate that improvements in Navy engineering environments should be primarily directed toward Boiler Technicians, who were the major contributor to excess disease and injury observed in Navy engineering personnel. Keywords: Occupational diseases, Health surveys, Military medicine.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 31, 1986
- Accession Number
- ADA190229
Entities
People
- E. K.Eric Gunderson
- Edward Doerr Gorham
- Frank C. Garland
- James C. Helmkamp
Organizations
- Naval Health Research Center