Challenges associated with post-deployment screening for mild traumatic brain injury in military personnel.
There is ongoing debate regarding the epidemiology of mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) in military personnel. Accurate and timely estimates of the incidence of brain injury and the prevalence of long-term problems associated with brain injuries among active duty service members and veterans are essential for (a) operational planning, and (b) to allocate sufficient resources for rehabilitation and ongoing services and supports. The purpose of this article is to discuss challenges associated with post-deployment screening for MTBI. Multiple screening methods have been used in military, Veterans Affairs, and independent studies, which complicate cross-study comparisons of the resulting epidemiological data. We believe that post-deployment screening is important and necessary--but no screening methodology will be flawless, and false positives and false negatives are inevitable. Additional research is necessary to refine the sequential screening methodology, with the goal of minimizing false negatives during initial post-deployment screening and minimizing false positives during follow-up evaluations.
Iverson
Grant L
GL
University of British Columbia & British Columbia Mental Health & Addiction Services, Vancouver, BC, Canada. giverson@interchange.ubc.ca
Langlois
Jean A
JA
McCrea
Michael A
MA
Kelly
James P
JP
D001753:Blast Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D003130:Combat Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening; D008889:Military Personnel; D015995:Prevalence; D012647:Self-Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States; D037041:United States Government Agencies; D014857:Warfare