Traumatic brain injury in U.S. Army paratroopers: prevalence and character.
BACKGROUND
This study presents self-reported traumatic brain injury (TBI) prevalence rates for 2,337 active duty U.S. Army soldiers who underwent baseline testing as part of a larger study of military TBI.


METHODS
A computerized self-report questionnaire was administered to a convenience sample of 2,337 highly functioning active-duty soldiers at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, who underwent baseline testing during a 13-month period in 1999 and 2000 as part of a larger ongoing Institutional Review Board-approved study examining the consequences of brain injuries among paratroopers.


RESULTS
Approximately 23% of all of the soldiers surveyed reported sustaining a TBI after joining the Army. More than twice as many paratroopers reported sustaining TBI after joining the Army than did nonparatroopers (p < 0.001). Parachute-related TBI accounted for this difference. Nearly all of these injuries were mild. Less than 2% of paratroopers and no nonparatroopers reported loss of consciousness lasting more than 20 minutes. It was also shown that paratroopers with a history of TBI before joining the Army had a higher prevalence of TBI while serving in the Army (35%) than paratroopers without prior TBI (27.2%) (p = 0.002).


CONCLUSIONS
This study demonstrates that parachuting appears to be a risk factor for mild TBI in the U.S. Army and that paratroopers with a history of TBI before joining the Army might be at somewhat increased risk of sustaining additional TBI while serving in the Army.
Ivins
Brian J
BJ
Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center, Washington DC 20012, USA. brian.ivins@na.amedd.army.mil
Schwab
Karen A
KA
Warden
Deborah
D
Harvey
L T C Sally
LT
Hoilien
M A J Michael
MA
Powell
C O L John
CO
Johnson
C S M E Wayne
CS
Salazar
Andres M
AM
D000328:Adult; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000145:classification / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008889:Military Personnel; D009657:North Carolina / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D015599:Trauma Severity Indices; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology