Post-Traumatic Osteoarthritis, Psychological Health, and Quality of Life After Lower Limb Injury in U.S. Service Members.

Introduction: The aims of this project were to assess (1) the prevalence and timing of post-traumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA) after a traumatic lower limb injury, (2) the risk of PTOA based on injury type, and (3) the association of PTOA with psychological health and quality of life (QoL).

Materials And Methods: The Wounded Warrior Recovery Project (WWRP) database and the Expeditionary Medical Encounters Dataset were queried to identify service members injured during deployment. The Military Health System Data Repository was utilized to extract medical record data to identify individuals with PTOA.

Associations between health-related behaviors and self-reported cognitive symptoms in U.S. military personnel injured on deployment.

Health behaviors may be core contributors to cognition and mental health following mild traumatic brain injury (TBI). The aims of the present study examined: (1) whether health behaviors including sleep duration, alcohol use, and physical activity differed in injured military personnel with and without deployment-related mild TBI history and (2) the relative contributions of health behaviors and deployment-related mild TBI history to self-reported cognitive, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and depressive symptoms. Participants included 3076 military personnel injured on deployment participating in the Wounded Warrior Recovery Project, an ongoing web-based study.

Deployment-related concussion and long-term health-related quality of life among US military personnel.

Purpose: To examine the relationship between deployment-related concussion and long-term health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among injured US military personnel.

Methods: The study sample included 810 service members with deployment-related injuries between 2008 and 2012 who responded to a web-based longitudinal health survey. Participants were categorized into three injury groups: concussion with loss of consciousness (LOC; n = 247), concussion without LOC (n = 317), or no concussion (n = 246).

Differences in quality-of-life scores across injury categories by mental health status among injured U.S. military service members and veterans.

Purpose: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression are strong predictors of poor health-related quality of life (HRQOL) among injured U.S. military service members (SMs).

Post-Combat-Injury Opioid Prescription and Alcohol Use Disorder in the Military.

Introduction: Previous studies have identified combat exposure and combat traumatic experience as problematic drinking risk factors. Increasing evidence suggests that opioid use increases the risk of alcohol use disorder. This study investigated the association between opioid prescription use after injury and (1) alcohol use disorder and (2) severity of alcohol use disorder among deployed military servicemembers.

Psychological comorbidity: Predictors of residential treatment response among U.S. service members with posttraumatic stress disorder.

Residential posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) research in military samples generally shows that in aggregate, PTSD symptoms significantly improve over the course of treatment but can remain at elevated levels following treatment. Identifying individuals who respond to residential treatment versus those who do not, including those who worsen, is critical given the extensive resources required for such programs. This study examined predictors of treatment response among 282 male service members who received treatment in a U.

Prevalence and correlates of self-reported cognitive difficulties in deployment-injured U.S. military personnel.

Cognitive difficulties typically resolve within days to weeks following mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI); however, a sizable proportion of individuals continue to report cognitive symptoms months to years later that are often associated with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression to a greater degree than a history of mTBI. The current study sought to evaluate the prevalence of self-reported cognitive difficulties as well as the relative contributions of demographic, injury-related, and mental health variables in a large study of U.S.

Prosthesis satisfaction and quality of life in US service members with combat-related major lower-limb amputation.

Background: Military amputee patient care programs offer extensive services, including advanced prosthetic devices, to restore function and improve quality of life (QOL) among veterans and service members with combat-related limb loss, but research on satisfaction with these devices is limited.

Objective: To assess prosthesis satisfaction and QOL in US service members and veterans with combat-related major lower-limb amputation.

Study Design: Cross-sectional study.

Mental and physical health, and long-term quality of life among service members injured on deployment.

Background: More than 52,000 casualties have been documented in post-9/11 conflicts. Service members with extremity injuries (EIs) or traumatic brain injury (TBI) may be at particular risk for long-term deficits in mental and physical health functioning compared with service members with other injuries.

Methods: The present study combined medical records with patient reports of mental health and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) for 2,537 service members injured in overseas contingency operations who participated in the Wounded Warrior Recovery Project.

Prospective Evaluation of Health Outcomes in a Nationwide Sample of Aeromedical Evacuation Casualties: Methods From a Pilot Study.

Introduction: Although retrospective analyses have found that combat-injured service members are at high risk for mental and physical health outcomes following injury, relatively little is known about the long-term health of injured service members. To better understand long-term health outcomes after combat injury, a large, prospective observational cohort collecting both subjective and objective health data is needed. Given that a study of this nature would be costly and face many logistical challenges, we first conducted a pilot to assess the feasibility of a larger, definitive study.

Trajectory of self-rated health after combat-related injury.

Background: The U.S. military conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan yielded the most combat casualties since Vietnam.

Symptom profiles following combat injury and long-term quality of life: a latent class analysis.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify symptom profiles among U.S. military personnel within 1 year after combat injury and assess the relationship between the symptom profiles and long-term quality of life (QoL).

The Relationships Between Self-reported Pain Intensity, Pain Interference, and Quality of Life Among Injured U.S. Service Members With and Without Low Back Pain.

Low back pain is a prevalent military and veteran health problem and individuals injured on deployment may be at particularly high risk of pain conditions. Given that increasing numbers of active duty and veteran military personnel are seeking care in community settings, it is critical that health care providers are aware of military health issues. The current study examined the prevalence of low back pain among individuals with deployment-related injuries, compared their self-reported pain intensity and interference ratings, and assessed the relationship between low back pain, self-reported pain ratings, and quality of life.

Overcoming Adversity and Stress Injury Support (OASIS): Evaluation of Residential Treatment Outcomes for U.S. Service Members with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder.

Research on residential posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) treatment has predominantly focused on the U.S. veteran population, whereas limited research exists regarding active duty service members.

Long-Term Outcomes of Service Women Injured on Combat Deployment.

Sex- and gender-based health disparities are well established and may be of particular concern for service women. Given that injured service members are at high risk of adverse mental and behavioral health outcomes, it is important to address any such disparities in this group, especially in regard to patient-reported outcomes, as much of the existing research has focused on objective medical records. The current study addressed physical and mental health-related quality of life, mental health symptoms, and health behaviors (i.

The relationship between self-reported physical functioning, mental health, and quality of life in Service members after combat-related lower extremity amputation.

Purpose: Service members with amputations experience numerous challenges, yet few studies have examined patient-reported outcomes, including physical functional status, mental-health screening status, and quality of life (QOL) or the relationship between these outcomes.

Materials And Methods: Service members with combat-related lower extremity amputations ( = 82) and participants in the Wounded Warrior Recovery Project were included. Patient-reported outcomes of physical functional status, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression screening status, and QOL were compared, while accounting for amputation level.

Health Behaviors Among Service Members Injured on Deployment: A Study From the Wounded Warrior Recovery Project.

Introduction: Service members (SMs) who are injured on deployment are at risk for myriad long-term health problems that may be ancillary to their physical injury, including high rates of depression and posttraumatic stress disorder, and poor health behaviors (e.g., problem drinking, cigarette and tobacco use, poor sleep quality, and sedentary lifestyle).

Prevalence of Low Back Pain and Relationship to Mental Health Symptoms and Quality of Life After a Deployment-related Lower Limb Amputation.

Study Design: Retrospective, cross-sectional study.

Objective: To assess the prevalence and association of low back pain (LBP) with psychosocial factors in Service members with amputations.

Summary Of Background Data: LBP is a common secondary health condition after amputation with important implications related to function and quality of life.

Low back pain, mental health symptoms, and quality of life among injured service members.

Objective: Pain is a significant public health issue that may be particularly problematic among injured service members who are at high risk of chronic physical and mental health conditions. The goals of this study were to describe the prevalence and types of low back pain (acute vs. recurrent) among service members injured while on combat deployments, and to examine the differences in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression prevalence and severity, as well as quality of life, for individuals with low back pain compared with those without.

Multimorbidity and quality of life after blast-related injury among US military personnel: a cluster analysis of retrospective data.

Background: Blast injury emerged as a primary source of morbidity among US military personnel during the recent conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, and led to an array of adverse health outcomes. Multimorbidity, or the presence of two or more medical conditions in an individual, can complicate treatment strategies. To date, there is minimal research on the impact of multimorbidity on long-term patient-reported outcomes.

Trauma exposure, mental health, and quality of life among injured service members: Moderating effects of perceived support from friends and family.

Poor mental health and quality of life (QOL) are common among service members exposed to trauma and may be more pronounced among those injured on combat deployment. It is vital to identify factors that attenuate these issues. This study examined whether perceived support from friends and family buffer associations between level of trauma exposure, mental health symptoms (i.

Persistent Opioid Use After Combat Injury and Subsequent Long-term Risk of Abuse: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Objective: To determine whether persistent opioid use after injury is associated with subsequent long-term development of clinically recognized opioid abuse.

Summary Background Data: Opioid abuse is an epidemic in the United States and trauma can initiate persistent use; however, it remains unclear whether persistent opioid use contributes to the subsequent development of opioid abuse. The care of combat casualties by the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs uniquely allows investigation of this long-term outcome.

Self-reported Functional Status in US Service Members After Combat-Related Amputation.

The objective of this study was to describe the functional status of US service members after combat-related amputation. This was a cross-sectional analysis of data from a subsample of the Wounded Warrior Recovery Project, an ongoing, web-based, longitudinal examination of patient-reported outcomes of injured service members. The study sample included 82 Wounded Warrior Recovery Project participants with a combat-related lower extremity amputation who reported using a prosthetic device and completed the Orthotics and Prosthetics Users' Survey Lower Extremity Functional Status, which measures self-reported functional status in participants with a prosthetic device.