title: Occupation and other risk factors for injury among enlisted U.S. Army Soldiers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate injury risk associated with occupation and occupational physical demand levels among U.S. Army Soldiers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective cohort study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Personal characteristics, physical fitness, military occupational specialty (MOS), and injury data were obtained by survey from Soldiers in an Army light infantry brigade (n = 2101). Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) from a multivariate analysis assessing injury risk were calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Injury incidence for the prior 12 months was 43%. Physical fitness and behavioral factors associated with injury risk included age 21-29 (OR [age 21-29/age ≤ 20] = 1.37, 95% CI 1.00-1.90), BMI 27.5-29.9 (high-overweight) (OR high-overweight/normal = 1.62, 95% CI 1.20-2.18); BMI >29.9 (obese) (OR obese/normal = 1.73, 95% CI 1.23-2.44), cigarette smoking (OR Smoker/Nonsmoker = 1.34, 95% CI 1.11-1.63), and poor APFT two mile run performance (OR (Q4/Q1) = 1.61, 95% CI 1.19-2.19). Higher risk of injury was associated with some MOSs (OR (Chemical, Explosives & Ammunition/Infantry) = 2.82, 95% CI 1.19-6.68; OR (Armor/Infantry) = 1.53, 95% CI 1.13-2.07).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study identified a number of potentially modifiable risk factors for injuries including: maintenance of healthy weight, improved aerobic endurance, and reduction in smoking. Results also indicate certain Army occupations may be at higher risk of injury. Further investigation into reasons for their higher risk is warranted.
authors.affiliation: Injury Prevention Program, Directorate of Epidemiology and Disease Surveillance, U.S. Army Public Health Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD, USA. Electronic address: morgan.k.anderson.ctr@mail.mil.
authors.forename: M K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.affiliation: Directorate of Epidemiology and Disease Surveillance, U.S. Army Public Health Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD, USA.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Grier
authors.affiliation: Directorate of Epidemiology and Disease Surveillance, U.S. Army Public Health Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD, USA.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Canham-Chervak
authors.affiliation: Directorate of Epidemiology and Disease Surveillance, U.S. Army Public Health Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD, USA.
authors.forename: T T
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Bushman
authors.affiliation: Directorate of Epidemiology and Disease Surveillance, U.S. Army Public Health Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD, USA.
authors.forename: B H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Jones
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology; D060051:Occupational Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009790:Occupations / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D050177:Overweight / Q000453:epidemiology*; D010809:Physical Fitness; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Injury; Military; Occupation; Physical demand