Injury Prevention Survey: Army Awareness Assessment and Needs Analysis, 9 July - 26 August 2014.

摘要

Each year, common musculoskeletal injuries disable Soldiers and result in millions of medical encounters, lost or restricted duty days, and significant medical costs. A top threat to military readiness, these are largely thought to be preventable injuries associated with overuse, sports, and physical training. To assess current injury prevention (IP) knowledge and interests and identify IP topics where awareness is lacking, an anonymous, voluntary electronic survey was disseminated via Army venues July-August 2014. Data collected included respondent demographics, job roles, awareness of injuries, risk factors, interventions, perceptions regarding leadership, and desired IP materials. Of 685 respondents, 77% were military and over half (52%) were in medical fields. Respondents requested IP information for specific activities, especially running (76%), weight training (68%), agility/calisthenics/stretching (68%), and extreme conditioning programs (60%). Respondents highlighted concerns regarding lack of unit level leadership awareness and prioritization of IP in daily operations and training. Medical respondents also noted medical profile inconsistencies as contributors to delayed rehabilitation and re-injury. The results suggest that lack of awareness may be a key barrier to IP. To reduce injury, educational materials must target actionable audiences to increase knowledge and correct misinformation regarding risk factors and effective interventions.