Hospitalization associated with traumatic brain injury in the active duty US Army: 2000-2006.
OBJECTIVE
to determine the potential impacts of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) on the incidence of TBI-related hospitalization in the active duty US Army.


METHODS
All active duty Army personnel hospitalized with a TBI diagnosis during fiscal years 2000 through 2006 were identified in an administrative database. Annual crude incidence rates were calculated. Two-year adjusted incidence rates were calculated to compare TBI-related hospitalization rates in the Army to rates in the age-comparable segment of the US civilian population.


RESULTS
The overall incidence of TBI-related hospitalization in the active duty Army increased 105% from FY2000 to FY2006. There was a 60-fold increase in the hospitalization rate for TBIs attributed to weapons. The increases in TBI hospitalizations coincided with the occurrence of OEF/OIF. During OEF/OIF, the Army's hospitalization rates for moderate and severe TBIs were lower than civilian rates; however, the Army's hospitalization rate for mild TBIs was higher than civilian rates.


CONCLUSIONS
OEF/OIF appear to have had a substantial impact on TBI-related hospitalization rates in the active duty US Army but differences between Army and civilian rates were not as excessive as expected.
Ivins
Brian J
BJ
Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center, 11300 Rockville Pike, Suite 707, Rockville, MD 20852, USA. brian.ivins@us.army.mil
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008887:Military Medicine; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055906:Seveso Accidental Release; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult