TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2014//
TI  - Methodological challenges of using U.S. Army administrative data to identify a cohort of basic combat trainees and descriptive analysis of trends in characteristics that are potential risk factors for training-related injury
JO  - Military medicine
A1  - Sulsky, Sandra I.
A1  - Karlsson, Lee H.
A1  - Bulzacchelli, Maria T.
A1  - Luippold, Rose S.
A1  - Rodriguez-Monguio, Rosa
A1  - Bulathsinhala, Lakmini
A1  - Hill, Owen T.
SP  - 1487
EP  - 1496
VL  - 179
IS  - 12
N2  - OBJECTIVES: Training-related injury is a threat to military health and readiness. Prevalence of potential risk factors for training-related injury can change with U.S. Army recruitment goals and may influence basic combat training (BCT) injury rates. This article describes challenges of using administrative data to identify a trainee cohort and describes demographic and training characteristics across the five BCT locations. <br><br>METHODS: Data from the Total Army Injury and Health Outcomes Database were used to identify a U.S. Army-wide cohort of first-time trainees from January 1, 2002 to September 30, 2007 and describe its characteristics. <br><br>RESULTS: The cohort includes 368,102 first-time trainees. The annual number starting BCT increased from 52,187 in 2002 to 68,808 in 2004. The proportion of males increased from 81.57% in 2003 to 83.84% in 2007. Mean (SD) age increased from 20.67 (3.55) years in 2002 to 20.94 (3.65) years in 2007. Mean (SD) body mass index increased from 24.53 (3.56) kg/m(2) in 2002 to 24.94 (3.84) kg/m(2) in 2006. Other characteristics fluctuated by year, including proportions of race/ethnicity, accession waivers, and confirmed graduates. <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: Fluctuations in trainee characteristics warrant further analysis of potential influence on BCT injury rates. For research uses, careful acquisition of administrative data is needed.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 0026-4075
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.7205/MILMED-D-14-00007
ID  - ref1
ER  -