Long-Term Impact of Battle Injuries; Five-Year Follow-Up of Injured Dutch Servicemen in Afghanistan 2006-2010

Rigo Hoencamp, Floris J Idenburg, Thijs T C F van Dongen, Loes G M de Kruijff, Eelco P Huizinga, Marie-Christine J Plat, Erik Hoencamp, Luke P H Leenen, Jaap F Hamming and Eric Vermetten

PLOS ONE, 2015, vol. 10, issue 2, 1-14

Abstract: Objectives: Units deployed to armed conflicts are at high risk for exposure to combat events. Many battle casualties (BCs) have been reported in the recent deployment to Afghanistan. The long-term impact of these combat injuries, at their five-year end point, is currently unknown. To date, no systematic inventory has been performed of an identified group of BCs in comparison to non-injured service members from the same operational theatre. Design: Observational cross-sectional cohort study. Setting: Open online survey among Dutch BCs that deployed to Afghanistan (2006–2010). Participants: The Dutch BCs (n = 62) were compared to two control groups of non-injured combat groups (battle exposed [n = 53], and non-battle exposed [n = 73]). Main Outcome Measures: Participants rated their impact of trauma exposure (Impact of Events [IES]), post deployment reintegration (Post Deployment Reintegration Scale [PDRS]), general symptoms of distress (Symptom Checklist 90 [SCL-90]), as well as their current perceived quality of life (EuroQol-6D [EQ-6D]). Also cost effectiveness (Short From health survey [SF-36]) and care consumption were assessed (Trimbos/iMTA questionnaire). Results: Over 90% of BCs were still in active duty. The mean scores of all questionnaires (IES, EQ-6D, SF-36, and SCL-90) of the BC group were significantly higher than in the control groups (p

Date: 2015
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:plo:pone00:0115119

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0115119

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