Sex Differences in Health Care Requirements Aboard U.S. Navy Ships
Abstract
There are currently over 6,600 women assigned aboard U.S. Navy ships. Although over 90 percent of these women are assigned to large auxiliary ships, such as destroyer tenders, submarine tenders, and repair ships, which have a medical officer on board, increasing numbers of women are being assigned to replenishment ships, ammunition ships, and salvage ships which are staffed by a non-physician health care provider. In response to a request from the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, this study was conducted to identify health care requirements of women aboard Combat Logistics Force ships and recommend medical department adjustments to meet those requirements. Results demonstrated that the monthly sick call rate for women (788/1,000) was 1.79 times greater than the monthly rate for men (440/1,000). Although sex differences in rate were greatest for genitourinary disorders (13:1), women visited sick call more than men for most illness categories. About 25 percent of all female illness-related visits were for female-specific problems, including urinary tract infections and sexually transmitted diseases. There were only minor sex differences in the number of services/procedures received, visit disposition, or duty status. Approximately five percent of the female crew became pregnant each quarter. Given projections of female-specific disorders developed from these data, approximately 100 Navy health care providers were surveyed to provide senior medical department staffing recommendations for ARSs, AOs, AEs, and AFSs with a 25% female crew and a 50% female crew. (SDW)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 20, 1990
- Accession Number
- ADA223194
Entities
People
- D. S. Nice
- Susan M. Hilton
Organizations
- Naval Health Research Center