RESUMEN
STUDY DESIGN: A prospective cohort study. OBJECTIVE: Activities performed during military operations vary in complexity and physical demand. The risk for mental illness following military combat deployment has been well documented. However, information regarding the possible contribution of back pain to decreased mental and functional health is scarce. To our knowledge, this is the first study to prospectively assess deployment and self-reported recent back pain in a population-based U.S. military cohort. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: The study consisted of Millennium Cohort participants who were followed for the development of back pain for an average of 3.9 years. METHODS: Descriptive statistics and longitudinal analyses were used to assess the temporal relationship of deployment with self-reported recent back pain at follow-up (Nâ=â53,933). RESULTS: Recent back pain was self-reported by 8379 (15.5%) participants at follow-up. After adjusting for covariates, deployers with combat experiences had higher odds [odds ratio (OR)â=â1.38, 95% confidence interval (95% CI): 1.28-1.50] of recent back pain than noncombat deployers. There was no association between recent back pain and nondeployers compared with noncombat deployers. Service support/supply handlers were at an increased odds of reporting recent back pain (ORâ=â1.11, 95% CI: 1.02-1.21) than functional support/administration occupations. Occupations associated with a physically demanding work environment had a higher risk of back pain. CONCLUSION: Deployers with combat experiences were more likely to report back pain postdeployment. This well-defined group of military personnel may potentially benefit from integrated prevention efforts. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 3.
Asunto(s)
Dolor de Espalda/epidemiología , Personal Militar/estadística & datos numéricos , Autoinforme , Trastornos por Estrés Postraumático/epidemiología , Adulto , Femenino , Humanos , Estudios Longitudinales , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Estudios Prospectivos , Factores de Riesgo , Estrés Psicológico/etiología , GuerraRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Previous studies have examined the prevalence, risk factors, and health correlates of sexual stressors in the military, but have been limited to specific subpopulations. Furthermore, little is known about sexual stressors' occurrence and their correlates in relation to female troops deployed to the current operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. METHODS: Using longitudinal data from Millennium Cohort participants, the associations of recent deployment as well as other individual and environmental factors with sexual harassment and sexual assault were assessed among U.S. female military personnel. Multivariable analyses were used to investigate the associations. FINDINGS: Of 13,262 eligible participants, 1,362 (10.3%) reported at least one sexual stressor at follow-up. Women who deployed and reported combat experiences were significantly more likely to report sexual harassment (odds ratio [OR], 2.20; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.84-2.64) or both sexual harassment and sexual assault (OR, 2.47; 95% CI, 1.61-3.78) compared with nondeployers. In addition, significant risk factors for sexual stressors included younger age, recent separation or divorce, service in the Marine Corps, positive screen for a baseline mental health condition, moderate/severe life stress, and prior sexual stressor experiences. CONCLUSIONS: Although deployment itself was not associated with sexual stressors, women who both deployed and reported combat were at a significantly increased odds for sexual stressors than other female service members who did not deploy. Understanding the factors associated with sexual stressors can inform future policy and prevention efforts to eliminate sexual stressors.
Asunto(s)
Personal Militar/psicología , Violación/psicología , Acoso Sexual/psicología , Guerra , Adulto , Campaña Afgana 2001- , Factores de Edad , Femenino , Estudios de Seguimiento , Humanos , Guerra de Irak 2003-2011 , Personal Militar/estadística & datos numéricos , Análisis Multivariante , Oportunidad Relativa , Violación/estadística & datos numéricos , Factores de Riesgo , Acoso Sexual/estadística & datos numéricos , Factores Socioeconómicos , Estrés Psicológico , Encuestas y Cuestionarios , Adulto JovenRESUMEN
The objectives were to estimate the prevalence and identify correlates of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) among residents of a migrant agricultural community in San Quintín, Baja-California, Mexico. Residents completed a questionnaire and had their blood tested for LTBI using the QuantiFERON(®)-TB Gold In-Tube (QFT) assay. Among 133 participants, 39.8% (95% CI 31.5-48.7%) tested QFT-positive. Having crossed the U.S.-Mexican border since living in San Quintin (P = 0.03), consuming unpasteurized milk (P = 0.02) and receiving health care at IMSS-Oportunidades in the last 6 months (P = 0.03) were independently associated with QFT-positivity. High LTBI prevalence in this community emphasizes the need for TB education and LTBI treatment for its residents. Association with travel to the U.S. suggests the potential for TB transmission across borders. Higher QFT-positivity among those consuming unpasteurized milk could indicate M. bovis infection, previously reported among Mexican migrants living in U.S. border cities.