Risk Factors Associated with Self-Reported Training-Related Injury at the U.S. Army Ordnance School

Abstract

Soldiers who have completed Basic Combat Training (BCT) continue to Advanced Individual Training (AIT) where they learn their military occupational specialty. Previous studies have focused on injuries experienced during AIT. PURPOSE: This study examined risk factors for self-reported injury incurred before arrival for Ordnance School AIT training. METHODS: Upon arrival for AIT, Soldiers (n=27,289 men and 3,856 women) completed a questionnaire that asked if they had a training-related injury that would interfere with their AIT training. The questionnaire also collected demographic and lifestyle characteristics. Backward stepping logistic regression was performed to examine associations between injury and other factors on the questionnaire. Multivariate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) were calculated. RESULTS: The prevalence of training injuries on arrival for AIT was 7.6% for men and 17.4 % for women. For men, analysis showed that higher risk of injury was independently associated with older age (OR (≥ 30years/17-19 years)=1.9, 95%CI=1.5-2.3), race (OR (Black/Caucasian)=1.2, 95%CI=1.1-1.4), BCT site (OR (Fort Benning/Fort Jackson)=1.7, 95%CI=1.4-2.1; OR (Fort Leonard Wood/Fort Jackson)=1.5, 95%CI=1.2-2.0), smoking within the last 30 days before BCT (OR(smoking/not smoking)=1.2, 95%CI=1.1-1.3), and a current self-reported illness (OR (ill/not ill)=6.4, 95%CI=5.2-7.9). For women, increased risk of injury was independently associated with older age (OR (≥ 30years/17-19 years)=2.2, 95%CI=1.5-3.2), basic training site (OR (Fort Leonard Wood/Fort Jackson)=1.5, 95%CI=1.1-2.0), and a current self-reported illness (OR(ill/not ill)=5.5, 95%CI=3.6-8.2). Factors not independently associated with injury included rank and smokeless tobacco use. CONCLUSION: Men were at higher injury risk if they were older, Black (relative to Caucasians), smoked within 30 days of attending BCT, attended BCT at Fort Leonard Wood or Fort Benning, or reported a current illness. Women were at higher injury risk if they were older, attended BCT at Fort Leonard Wood, or reported a current illness.