title: 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.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  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.
  
  
  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.
  
  
  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.
  
  
  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.
authors.affiliation: ENVIRON International Corporation, 28 Amity Street, Suite 2A, Amherst, MA 01002.
authors.forename: Sandra I
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Sulsky
authors.affiliation: ENVIRON International Corporation, 28 Amity Street, Suite 2A, Amherst, MA 01002.
authors.forename: Lee H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Karlsson
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, University of Massachusetts-Amherst, 715 North Pleasant Street, Amherst, MA 01002.
authors.forename: Maria T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Bulzacchelli
authors.affiliation: ENVIRON International Corporation, 28 Amity Street, Suite 2A, Amherst, MA 01002.
authors.forename: Rose S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Luippold
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, University of Massachusetts-Amherst, 715 North Pleasant Street, Amherst, MA 01002.
authors.forename: Rosa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rodriguez-Monguio
authors.affiliation: U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Military Performance Division, 42 Kansas Street, Natick, MA 01760.
authors.forename: Lakmini
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bulathsinhala
authors.affiliation: U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Military Performance Division, 42 Kansas Street, Natick, MA 01760.
authors.forename: Owen T
authors.initials: OT
authors.lastname: Hill
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015331:Cohort Studies; D016208:Databases, Factual / Q000592:standards*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007318:Inservice Training / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D064797:Physical Conditioning, Human / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012307:Risk Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014857:Warfare; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology*; D055815:Young Adult