Repeated Concussion Among U.S. Military Personnel During Operation Iraqi Freedom
Abstract
Traumatic brain injury (TBI), specifically concussion (i.e., mild TBI), has emerged as a predominant injury of the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. The aim of this study was to describe repeated concussive events among U.S. military personnel injured during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Clinical records from the Expeditionary Medical Encounter Database were reviewed to identify service members with repeat occurrences of concussion. Demographic and injury-specific variables for those with repeated concussive events were abstracted from clinical records. Time between events was calculated. Overall, 113 service members experienced more than one concussion during the study period. A majority of these incidents were combat-related and caused by blasts. The median time between events was 40 days, with 20% and 87% experiencing a second event within 2 weeks and 3 months of the first event, respectively. There was no difference in injury severity between events when accounting for time between events. The present study is one of the first to describe the occurrence of repeated concussion in a combat setting. The results indicate that repeated concussions among deployed military personnel occur within a short interval. Future research should examine potential cumulative effects of repeated concussions on the physical and mental health of veterans.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 2011
- Accession Number
- ADA567117
Entities
People
- Amber L. Dougherty
- Andrew J. MacGregor
- Kimberly H. Quinn
- Michael R. Galarneau
- Rosemary H. Morrison
Organizations
- Naval Health Research Center