Military medicine
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Excessive gambling can cause substantial biopsychosocial problems (e.g., difficulties with finances, relationships, mental, and physical health). For military Service Members, it can also result in security clearance denial or revocation, failure to achieve promotions, and premature career termination. Recent congressional mandates have obligated the U.S. Department of Defense to screen for problematic gambling, the predictive values of which are a function of (i) problem prevalence and (ii) tool sensitivity and specificity. This meta-review (i.e., systematic review of systematic reviews) on the screening properties of gambling assessment tools and the effectiveness of treatments for gambling disorder is to inform military services on responding to Service Members' gambling problems. ⋯ The combination of low prevalence of GD and subclinical gambling problems in the general population, coupled with modest sensitivity and specificity, makes screening unfeasible in the general SM population. However, dual-phase screening in higher-prevalence subpopulations (i.e., SMs already identified with substance-abuse or mental-health problems) would be viable. Regarding treatment, several interventions-already used in military healthcare-with extensive empirical track records have been successfully used to treat adults with GD.
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Preservation of life, preservation of limb, and preservation of eyesight are the priorities for military medical personnel when attending to casualties. The incidences of eye injuries in modern warfare have increased significantly, despite personal eye equipment for service members. Serious eye injuries are often overlooked or discovered in a delayed fashion because they accompany other life- and limb-threatening injuries, which are assigned a higher priority. Prehospital military ocular trauma care is to shield the eye and evacuate the casualty to definitive ophthalmic care as soon as possible, with exceptions for treatment of ocular chemical injury and orbital compartment syndrome. Retrospective analysis of eye injuries in recent conflicts identified gaps in clinical capabilities with up to 96% of ocular injuries being suboptimally managed. Ocular compartment syndrome (OCS) is a complication associated with orbital hemorrhage, where significant morbidity occurs as a result of increasing intracompartment pressure. The ischemic tolerance of the retina and optic nerve is approximately 90 minutes, so OCS must be rapidly diagnosed and aggressively treated through lateral canthotomy/cantholysis (LC/C) to prevent permanent vision loss. LC/C procedures consist of using hemostats to crush the lateral canthal fold and cutting the lateral canthal tendon from the inferior crus to relieve increasing intracompartment pressure. The purpose of this study was to examine the baseline capabilities of military physicians and surgeons to accurately and independently perform the LC/C procedures and identify performance gaps that could be closed through focused professional development activities. ⋯ We identified significant performance gaps among emergency medicine physicians, general surgeons, and ophthalmologists in their abilities to recognize and treat OCS through LC/C procedures. These sight-saving procedures are a critical competency for forward-situated clinicians in expeditionary contexts. We identified the need for targeted approaches to professional development for closing the performance gaps for both emergency medicine physicians and general surgeons.
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There are established protocols for staged return to physical activity in sport and military settings following concussion. Currently, there is no evidence-based staged return to shooting protocol in use by the U.S. military despite the unique challenges and stresses shooting places on the vestibular-ocular and cognitive systems often disrupted by a concussion. The primary purpose of this scoping review was to summarize available evidence and current practices on return to shooting post-concussion, with the goal of optimizing an evidence-based return to shooting protocol for military service members. Our secondary aim was to identify individuals who may benefit from a return to shooting progression. ⋯ Based on our results, there is insufficient evidence to inform current practices on return to shooting post-concussion. In the absence of a published return to shooting protocol, we offer recommendations for identifying individuals who may benefit from a return to shooting progression and a revised version of a U.S. Army Special Operations Command Return to Range Progression. This protocol follows a conceptual framework for progression for variables such as environment, weapon type/caliber, and shooter position/movement. Further research is needed on identifying individuals who may benefit from a return to shooting protocol and safely and effectively progressing these individuals through a return to shooting protocol post-concussion.
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Research on the health of older Veterans in Canada is an emerging area. Few population-based studies in Canada have included older Veterans as a specific group of interest. This paper describes a cohort of self-identified Veterans within the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA). ⋯ Using CLSA baseline data, we estimate the number of older Veterans in Canada and present descriptive data that highlight interesting differences and similarities between Veterans and non-Veterans living in Canada. Canadian and non-Canadian Veterans in the CLSA are presented separately, with the latter group having not been previously studied in Canada. This paper presents a snapshot of a cohort of self-identified Veterans within the CLSA at study baseline and highlights the potential of the CLSA as a vehicle for studying the aging Veteran population in Canada for years to come.
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Access to mental health care has been a priority area for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) for decades. Access for veterans with PTSD is essential because untreated PTSD is associated with numerous adverse outcomes. Although interventions have been developed to improve access to DVA mental health care, the impact of these interventions on access for veterans with untreated PTSD has not been examined comprehensively, limiting guidance on appropriate implementation. ⋯ Access interventions for veterans with PTSD demonstrated varied success across interventions and outcomes. The national initiatives-particularly primary care mental health integration -were successful across several outcomes; telemental health demonstrated promise in improving access; and the success of direct outreach varied across interventions. Confidence in these findings is tempered by potential bias among studies. Limited literature on how these interventions impact relevant preattendance barriers, along with incomplete data on how many perform nationally, suggests that additional work is needed to ensure that these interventions increase access for veterans with PTSD nationwide.