Medical Surveillance Monthly Report (MSMR). Volume 11, Number 3, May/June 2005
Abstract
Individuals in active military service are young adults who volunteer to serve in occupations that are physically rigorous and sometimes dangerous. In addition, all active service members must pass medical examinations prior to entering service and periodically during service. Because of self and institutional selection factors such as these, members of the U.S. military tend to be healthier than the general population of young adults. In turn, morbidity and mortality from medical (particularly chronic and debilitating) conditions are likely to be lower in military than general U.S. populations. Not surprisingly, injuries from accidental (e.g., vehicle/aircraft crashes; sports/other recreational, industrial, military training activities) and intentional (e.g., assaults/homicides, suicides, hostile actions, terrorism) traumas are leading causes of morbidity and mortality among military members. Recent public health/force health protection initiatives have focused on reducing suicides and military training-related injuries and deaths. Also, improvements in protective equipment and procedures and in battlefield casualty care, evacuation, and treatment have reduced deaths from severe traumatic injuries that occur during combat operations. In this report, we summarize deaths (and their general causes) among members of active components of the U.S. Armed Forces during calendar year 2004. In addition, we summarize demographic and military characteristics of service members who died in active service and assess trends in mortality since 1995.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 2005
- Accession Number
- ADA496336
Entities
Organizations
- Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center