Epidemiology of Back-Related Hospitalizations Among U.S. Navy Personnel

摘要

In order to provide a baseline for the evaluation of programs to prevent lower back problems in the Navy, the present study investigated the incidence of inpatient back problems for enlisted active duty Navy personnel during 1974-1983. There were 13,109 individuals with a first hospitalization for a back problem during the decade, and the most frequent diagnosis was Vertebrogenic Pain Syndrome (36.7%). Individuals with Navy service of less than one year, as well as those with over 20 years, were most likely to be hospitalized. The 17-19 age group was the most likely to be hospitalized. Those occupations most likely to be associated with back problems were health care, weapons control, seaman-striker, general seamanship, and master-at-arms. There were 3,377 individuals with back problems who appeared before a medical board and 2,313 who appeared before a physical evaluation board. The two diagnoses that most often led to a medical board or a physical evaluation board were Displacement of Intervertebral Disk and Vertebrogenic Pain Syndrome. The most common disposition of a physical evaluation board was an award of 10% disability (35.9%). The results are discussed in terms of greatest-risk groups and back problem prevention. (SDW)