Report Title

Update: Medical evacuations, active and reserve components, U.S. Armed Forces, 2017.

Abstract

In 2017, a total of 626 medical evacuations of service members from the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility were followed by at least one medical encounter in a fixed medical facility outside the operational theatre.

There were more medical evacuations for mental health disorders than for any other category of illnesses or injuries.

• Annual rates of medical evacuations attributable to battle injuries decreased from 3.5 per 1,000 deployed person-years [dp-yrs] (n=317) in 2013 to a low of 0.73 per 1,000 dp-yrs (n=28) in 2016, and then increased to 1.4 per 1,000 dp-yrs (n=53) in 2017.
• Annual rates of medical evacuations attributable to non-battle injuries and illnesses were relatively stable from 2015 through 2017.

Compared to their respective counterparts, medical evacuation rates were highest among non-Hispanic black service members, among those aged 19 years or younger or aged 45 years or older, among Army members, and among those in combat-specific occupations.

Most service members who were evacuated were returned to normal duty status following their post-evacuation hospitalisations or outpatient encounters.

Reference

Armed Forces Health Surveillance Branch. (2018) Update: Medical evacuations, active and reserve components, U.S. Armed Forces, 2017. MSMR. 25(7), pp.17-22.