Using BRFSS Data to Study the Relationship between Access and Total Force Fitness

Abstract

Purpose: To describe the relationship between the domains of Total Force Fitness (TFF) and explore the relationship between potential and realized access in military personnel completing the 2010 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Survey (BRFSS). Design: Descriptive-exploratory study using secondary analysis of 2010 BRFSS data. Methods: The sample was created by extracting data for all 2010 BRFSS participants responding yes to currently being active duty (AD) or Reserves/National Guard (RNG) on the Veteran Status demographic question. Sample: 6134 respondents (1415 AD and 4719 RNG) to the 2010 BRFSS. Analysis: Independent samples Chi-square and Mann-Whitney U were used to conduct bivariate analyses. Multiple logistic regression was used to determine the extent to which measures of potential access predicted measures of realized access. To obtain accurate variance estimates under the BRFSS complex survey design, data were analyzed using the IBM-SPSS Complex Samples Module (version 20, IBM, Chicago, IL). Significance level was set at .05 for the analyses. Findings: Although there are many similarities in the population health status of the AD and RNG respondents to the 2010 BRFSS, there are clearly many more identifiable, statistically significant differences (P < .05) in relation to the domains of TFF. There are also significant differences in the relationships between measures of potential and realized access to care between AD and RNG; and within each category of military personnel (AD or RNG) in social determinants of health (age, gender, race, income). Implications for Military Nursing: Research is needed to further explore differences in population health status in AD and RNG found in analyses of BRFSS data in this study; and to develop TFF interventions and programs that can be used universally, to minimize and manage epidemiological factors and health services use behaviors that may be contributing to these differences.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jul 18, 2014
Accession Number
ADA608250

Entities

People

  • Sandra Bibb

Organizations

  • Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Active Duty
  • Bivariate Analysis
  • Data Analysis
  • Department Of Defense
  • Education
  • Health Care
  • Health Services
  • Information Science
  • Knowledge Management
  • Medical Personnel
  • Military Personnel
  • National Guard
  • Risk Factors
  • Social Sciences
  • Surveillance
  • Surveys
  • United States

Fields of Study

  • Medicine

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