Pre-existing disease in British Army patients aeromedically evacuated from the former Republic of Yugoslavia.

A questionnaire study was carried out on 74 British Army patients who were awaiting aeromedical evacuation from the Former Republic of Yugoslavia. The study confirmed previous unpublished reports that 41% of patients were being repatriated for exacerbation of pre-existing disease. Of these, 78% had disease known to their medical officer, were considered to be outside limits for full fitness, according to accepted military standards, but had not been downgraded. Only 34% of these patients had been reviewed prior to deployment to assess their fitness. Assessment of fitness to deploy was in some cases based on inaccurate information about in theatre living and working conditions, and the medical support available. In conclusion it would appear that medical officers should be more diligent in downgrading unfit personnel to prevent their deployment on operations thereby reducing the burden on the medical evacuation chain. Medical officers need up-to-date information on operational areas in order to make appropriate decisions on fitness of personnel to deploy.