Health Status of Women in the Military: An Epidemiological Study of Active DutyNavy And Marine Corps Personnel

摘要

This study was designed to provide baseline health and risk factor information toestimate the prevalence of a wide range of health conditions and to make relevant comparisons both within military subpopulations and between military and civilian populations. The study approach includes the administration of an extensive self-report health questionnaire to a population-based sample of active-duty Navy and Marine Corps women and a comparison sample of active-duty and Marine Corps men. Clinically based structured telephone interviews and physical measurements also were administered to a subsample of the surveyed population. To produce rates comparable with national and other military data, the survey instruments were based on standardized measures used in previous national and military health surveys. The data from this study are being used to evaluate a variety of women's health and physical parameters of importance to the Navy and Marine Corps, including the identification of women's health problems, risk factors, and health care needs and practices in the following general issue areas: reproductive, medical/nutritional, psychosocial, lifestyle, occupational/environmental, and health services. They also were being used to identify appropriate populations for subsequent studies, experiments, and interventions needed to address specific health issues regarding women's health in the military and their operational readiness.