Risk Factors for Discharge from the Army with a Permanent Disability
Abstract
This report outlines progress made during the second year of the "Risk Factors for Discharge from the Army with a Permanent Disability" research project. Scope: The overall goal of this project is to describe disability, including temporal trends in disability rates and the profile of those who experience disability, and to uncover the underlying factors contributing to disability among US Army soldiers in order to inform the development of targeted and cost-efficient disability reduction strategies. Major Findings to date: Musculoskeletal disability is increasing more rapidly than other types of disability, particularly among females, soldiers between the ages of 21-35, white soldiers, of lower to mid-level enlisted ranks with relatively short service tenure, and by soldiers without a college education. Lighter physically-demanding jobs have higher unadjusted rates of any-cause hospitalizations whereas heavier physically-demanding occupations have higher injury-specific hospitalization rates. Preliminary evidence suggests gender interactions such that men in physically demanding jobs are at increased risk for injury-related hospitalizations and for on-duty accidents resulting in hospitalizations,; women in heavy demand jobs are not at increased risk for injury but are at increased risk for "all-cause" hospitalizations. There are also demographic and occupational exposure differences in risk for being discharged with a mental health disability.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 01, 2008
- Accession Number
- ADA489876
Entities
People
- Nicole S. Bell