Citation

Elmasry H, Boivin MR, Feng X, Packnett ER, Cowan DN. J. Head Trauma Rehabil. 2016; 32(1): E1-E7.

Affiliation

Department of Epidemiology, Preventive Medicine Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland (Mss Elmasry, Feng, and Packnett and Drs Boivin and Cowan); and ManTech Health, Herndon, Virginia (Mss Elmasry, Feng, and Packnett and Dr Cowan).

Copyright

(Copyright © 2016, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins)

DOI

10.1097/HTR.0000000000000229

PMID

27022962

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To determine the preenlistment and early service risk factors for traumatic brain injury (TBI)-related disability in Army and Marine Corps service members.

DESIGN: Matched case-control design. MAIN OUTCOME: TBI disability discharges. SUBJECTS: Army and Marine Corps service members with an enlistment record and disability discharge for TBI were included as cases. Controls were selected from the enlisted population with no disability evaluation record and were matched on fiscal year of enlistment, sex, and service at a ratio of 5:1.

RESULTS: Older age at enlistment resulted in a significantly increased risk for TBI disability in the crude and adjusted models (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.49; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.16-1.91). An enlistment military occupational specialty (MOS) with a combat arms designation resulted in an almost 3-fold increased odds of TBI disability compared with other MOS categories (aOR = 2.75; 95% CI, 2.46-3.09). This remained a significant risk factor for TBI disability in the multivariate model (aOR = 2.74; 95% CI, 2.45-3.08).

CONCLUSION: Results from this study help inform the existing body of military TBI research by highlighting the preenlistment demographic and early service risk factors for TBI disability. Further research into the role of age on TBI disability in the military is merited.

Language: en