TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2024//
TI  - Divergent trends in accidental deaths since return from an Afghanistan/Iraq deployment among Army soldiers
JO  - Annals of epidemiology
A1  - Adams, Rachel Sayko
A1  - Forster, Jeri E.
A1  - Gradus, Jaimie L.
A1  - Hoffmire, Claire A.
A1  - Hostetter, Trisha A.
A1  - Larson, Mary Jo
A1  - Smith, Alexandra A.
A1  - Walsh, Colin G.
A1  - Brenner, Lisa A.
SP  - ePub
EP  - ePub
VL  - ePub
IS  - ePub
N2  - PURPOSE: Accidental death is a leading cause of mortality among military members and Veterans; however, knowledge is limited regarding time-dependent risk following deployment and if there are differences by type of accidental death. <br><br>METHODS: Longitudinal cohort study (N=860,930) of soldiers returning from Afghanistan/Iraq deployments in fiscal years 2008-2014. Accidental deaths (i.e., motor vehicle accidents [MVA], accidental overdose, other accidental deaths), were identified through 2018. Crude and age-adjusted mortality rates, rate ratios, time-dependent hazard rates and trends postdeployment were compared across demographic and military characteristics. <br><br>RESULTS: During the postdeployment observation period, over one-third of deaths were accidental; most were MVA (46.0%) or overdoses (37.9%). Across accidental mortality categories (all, MVA, overdose), younger soldiers (18-24, 25-29) were at higher risk compared to older soldiers (40+), and females at lower risk than males. MVA death rates were highest immediately postdeployment, with a significant decreasing hazard rate over time (annual percent change [APC]: -6.5%). Conversely, accidental overdose death rates were lowest immediately following deployment, with a significant increasing hazard rate over time (APC: 9.9%). <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: Observed divergent trends in risk for the most common types of accidental deaths provide essential information to inform prevention and intervention planning for the immediate postdeployment transition and long-term.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 1047-2797
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.annepidem.2024.01.002
ID  - ref1
ER  -