Injuries before and after deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq.

OBJECTIVE

To examine outpatient injuries before and after deployments of elements of the 10th Mountain Division to Afghanistan (n = 505 men) and the 1st Cavalry Division to Iraq (n = 3242 men).

STUDY DESIGN

Observational.

METHODS

The military units provided a list of deployed soldiers, and soldiers' outpatient medical encounters were obtained from the Defense Medical Surveillance System. Cumulative injury incidence was examined for two consecutive 90-day periods before the deployments (Periods 1-2) and two consecutive 90-day periods after the deployments (Periods 3-4).

RESULTS

Both groups showed post-deployment increases in the overall incidence of injury (Afghanistan group = 14.1%, 14.1%, 16.4, 23.4%; Iraq Group = 15.1%, 12.4%, 35.4%, 43.4%; Periods 1-4, respectively). Soldiers with pre-deployment injuries were 1.4-3.0 times more likely to experience post-deployment injuries.

CONCLUSIONS

This study found a post-deployment increase in the incidence of outpatient injury. Also, soldiers with pre-deployment injuries were more likely to experience post-deployment injuries.