@article{ref1,
title="Evaluating measures of combat deployment for U.S. Army personnel using various sources of administrative data",
journal="Annals of epidemiology",
year="2019",
author="Otto, Jean L. and Peters, Zach J. and O'Gallagher, Kevin G. and Stewart, Lindsay T. and Campbell, Marjorie S. and Bush, Nigel and Belsher, Brad E. and Evatt, Daniel P.",
volume="35",
number="",
pages="66-72",
abstract="PURPOSE: This study's purpose is to inform future research decisions about optimal measures for identifying combat deployments. We aim to evaluate four commonly utilized measures available in population-level administrative data to identify combat deployments in recent military operations among active duty Army personnel. <br><br>METHODS: We compare these measures in three ways: (1) agreement (assessing the extent to which soldiers were differentially identified as combat deployed via each measure); (2) validity (calculating the sensitivity of each measure against a criterion measure); and (3) corroboration (examining how each measure predicted subsequent incidence of traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder). <br><br>RESULTS: We found that using personnel records to identify deployments to Iraq, Afghanistan, and/or Kuwait captured over 98% of combat-related deployments identified via self-reported measures. The addition of Kuwait allowed for detection of nearly 100% of battle injuries, improving sensitivity from 94.5% to 99.8%. However, self-reported combat exposure measures showed the largest differential in subsequent incidence of traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder. Completeness and accuracy of different combat deployment measures varied significantly. <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: Using personnel records to identify deployment to Iraq, Afghanistan, and/or Kuwait was the most valid and comprehensive measure of combat deployment. However, self-reported combat exposure measures were more predictive of combat-related outcomes.<br><br>Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1047-2797",
doi="10.1016/j.annepidem.2019.04.001",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.annepidem.2019.04.001"
}