Beginning Of Military Service Research Articles

The association between dental caries and physical activity, physical fitness, and background factors among Finnish male conscripts

Studies on measured physical fitness and oral health are sparse. The aim of this study was to investigate the associations between self-reported physical activity and measured physical fitness and oral health of young men. The study population consisted of 13,564 Finnish male conscripts who had mandatory clinical oral examinations and physical fitness tests at the beginning of military service in 2011. Finally, around 10,800 conscripts had physical fitness test outcomes available and a total of 8552 conscripts answered a computer-based questionnaire on background factors. Decayed Tooth (DT) and Decayed, Missing, or Filled Tooth (DMFT) indices, outcomes of surveys and fitness tests were used in analyses by cross-tabulation and multivariable logistic regression model (odds ratios [OR] with 95% confidence interval [CI]) were calculated. Regularly exercising conscripts had a reduced need for dental restorative treatment than those reporting no physical activity (p < 0.0001). The proportion of participants with sound dentition (DT = 0) increased steadily with increasing physical activity (39.0–59.4%). Good measured physical fitness was a protective factor against increased dental restorative treatment need. A low prevalence of smoking and low use of alcohol and energy drinks were associated with frequent exercise, whereas consumption of sport drinks and snuff use were common among those who exercised frequently. Good measured physical fitness and self-reported physical activity are associated with reduced caries burden. There is a need for information about the harms of tobacco products and the benefits of a healthy diet, even for the increased energy needs of the physically active.

Can anthropometric, body composition, and bone variables be considered risk factors for musculoskeletal injuries in Brazilian military students?

BackgroundMusculoskeletal injuries are the main cause of premature discharge from military service and can sometimes lead to permanent disabilities. Some intrinsic risk factors are well discussed in the literature. However, the relation between body composition variables and the risk for musculoskeletal injury is not well known or recognized.MethodsThis prospective study evaluated 205 Brazilian military students. At the beginning of military service, health status and sports experience prior to military service were registered. Anthropometric variables were evaluated, and bone and body composition variables were measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. The occurrence of musculoskeletal injuries throughout the year was registered at the military physiotherapy service. At the end of 1 year of follow-up, risk factors were analysed by comparing the variables between the injured and non-injured students.ResultsNo difference in previous health status was found between injured and non-injured groups, whereas sports experience prior to military service was identified as a protective factor (Odds Ratio (OR) 0.323; 95% CI: 0.108–0.968; p = 0.044). Anthropometric, bone, and body composition variables could not be identified as risk factors for musculoskeletal injuries in Brazilian military students.ConclusionAnthropometric, bone, and body composition variables could not be considered risk factors for musculoskeletal injuries in Brazilian military students.

Prevalence of stress fracture in military cadets

Introduction: Stress fractures have continued to plague competitive athletes and military recruits, especially at the beginning of military service. The underlying pathophysiology of stress fractures occurs when the rate of repetitive microtrauma exceeds that of osseous remodeling. The prevention of lower extremity stress fractures remains a long-standing problem in the military, and it represents a significant socioeconomic burden. Treatment strategies include early identification of the symptoms, early diagnosis, a sufficiently long training pause. The present study aimed at determining the incidence and type of Stress Fractures in Border Security Force cadets (BSF) recruited in Indore through clinical and radiological diagnosis. Material and Methods: In a prospective study of Stress Fractures, a group of 1000 BSF cadets training in Indore was selected and those presenting with symptoms were evaluated clinically and radiologically. The SF was graded in to 4 groups based on the suggested clinicoradiological classification by Agarwal. Results: One hundred and seventy four (174) out of 1000 consecutive recruits had symptoms of SFs. Out of 150 diagnosed with SF 60 (40%) were Grade I, 54 (36%) was Grade II, 29 (19.33%) were Grade III and 7 (4.67%) were Grade IV. The significant higher incidence of SFs has been attributed to training with maximum stress on running, jumping, parade on hard ground, and gymnastics. The maximum occurrence of Stress fracture in our study was found at 10 weeks of training. Conclusion: There is a high incidence of SF in military cadets which tends to remain unreported otherwise. Proper education of trainees, trainers and instructors, modification in training procedures, use of better equipments can reduce occurrence of these fractures. Early reporting to hospital and treatment is also necessary as it can help in early return to full activity.

Military L2 immersion

Abstract The purpose of the present study was to examine some of the motivations and longitudinal consequences of military service in L2 Swedish for L1 Finnish conscripts in Finland’s only Swedish language garrison. Cross-sectional data (N = 42), analyzed with Bayesian path analysis, indicates that promotional instrumentality enhanced participants’ L2 ideal selves, but integrative orientation did not. The L2 ideal self predicts L2 learning intentions in the army, but only among learners with low L2 proficiency at the beginning of military service. Longitudinal data (N = 17), analyzed with a Bayesian model selection procedure, shows that after six months in the army, participants reported higher levels of L2 proficiency, lower levels of L2 use anxiety and more positive attitudes towards L2 speakers than at the beginning of military service.

Arm and forearm island axial flaps for the treatment of IV degree burns in the elbow joint area

Among the burns, the quantity of which in our country is substantially reducing, local burns of IV degree in the elbow area occur very seldom: one case in 2–3 years. The elbow joint has a complex structure; it has a thin soft tissue covering, particularly over the elbow olecranon and epicondyles. Joint exposure and bone damage, especially with conservative treatment, could lead to the development of purulent arthritis and ankylosis. Performing split skin grafting for integument restoration, even with surviving graft, gives poor functional results due to skin and bone adhesion. Using non-free skin plasty allows to save the joint, however this requires a fixed position for several weeks. This article discusses various types of replacements for limited deep defects after burns with bone damage in the elbow joint area, performed on 6 male patients by means of applying island axial flaps from the arm (lateral – 2), forearms (radial – 2; ulnar – 1; back – 1). Patient age: from 30 to 76 years. Burn etiolology: contact – 3, electrical – 2, flame – 1. Defects sizes: minimum 7–4 cm, maximum 13–-10 cm. The operations on integument restoration were performed within 3 to 6 weeks after the burn. In one case 2 weeks immobilisation with an external fixation was required. No arthritis developed. Satisfactory functional results received. No essential infringement of hand blood supply registered.The major drawback of all donor zones, which is particularly important for women, is a visible cosmetic defect as a result of using a free skin graft for donor wound plasty. Non-free skin plasty by temporary pedical flap – a reserve method.

Resilience in the United States Air Force: Psychometric properties of the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC).

Results are presented for the largest study (N = 53,692) ever conducted on the 25-item Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC), a popular measure of resilience. We examined the internal consistency of the CD-RISC items and associated mean resilience levels within a sample of enlisted basic trainees in the United States Air Force. In addition, the predictive validity of the CD-RISC Total Score was examined for real-life military outcomes, including attrition from service and mental health diagnosis. The CD-RISC items demonstrated strong internal consistency. Item-level examinations of scores revealed that most trainees reported relatively high resilience. Results indicated that resilience measured at the beginning of military service is a significant predictor of (a) attrition from service and (b) obtaining a mental health diagnosis within 6 months of entry. Implications and future directions are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record

Anabolic Adaptations Occur in Conscripts During Basic Military Training Despite High Prevalence of Vitamin D Deficiency and Decrease in Iron Status.

In Estonian Defense Forces that are drawn up on the basis of the conscription model considerable numbers of young men are prematurely discharged from military service for medical reasons, but causes leading to premature dropout of conscripts have not been systematically studied. However, one of the factors involved could be relatively demanding physical training that starts at the beginning of military service in the form of basic military training (BMT). Cumulative training and nontraining stresses experienced by conscripts during BMT may exceed their physiological adaptability and increase the probability of becoming prematurely discharged. Therefore, the primary purpose of this study was to assess physiological responses to 10-week BMT in Estonian conscripts. The protocol of the study confirmed to the standards set by the Declaration of Helsinki and it was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the University of Tartu. Mean ± SD age and body mass index of 94 conscripts studied was 20.9 ± 1.7 years and 24.2 ± 3.0 kg · m-2, respectively. Fasting venous blood analysis was performed four times during BMT (October to December) and once 15 weeks after the end of BMT (in March). One-factor (time) repeated measures analysis of variance was used to evaluate the differences within the variables. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Where a significant main effect was observed, Tukey's honesty significant difference post-hoc analysis was used to locate differences between the means. A Pearson product moment coefficient of correlation (r) with α level set at 0.05 was applied to determine the relationship between variables. Significant increases in serum testosterone concentration (60.6%), testosterone to cortisol ratio (61.1%), blood erythrocyte count (4.3%), hemoglobin concentration (3.8%) and hematocrit (2.2%), and decrease in serum ferritin concentration (39.3%) occurred between weeks 1 and 10 during BMT (in all cases p < 0.0001). Fifteen weeks later, these parameters were still at increased or decreased levels, respectively, compared to week 1. The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency (serum 25(OH) D concentration <50 nmol · L-1) increased from 42.6% in week 1 to 80.8% in week 10 and to 91.5% 15 weeks later. Serum 25(OH)D levels did not correlate with testosterone concentrations (r = 0.062, p = 0.552 in Wk-1 and r = -0.079, p = 0.448 in Wk-25). These findings suggest that BMT induces anabolic physiological adaptations in conscripts despite vitamin D deficiency and decrease in iron status. However, high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and decline in iron status may limit physiological adaptations and improvement in physical work capacity to a suboptimal level. Furthermore, as vitamin D influences a variety of functions important for health, deficiency in conscripts should be considered a major concern that needs treatment. An acknowledged limitation of the study is the lack of a control group of conscripts possessing normal vitamin D status and stable serum ferritin levels throughout the study period. Nevertheless, the research design employed enabled to determine two factors that potentially limit physiological adaptability of conscripts to military training loads in ecologically authentic environment.

Relationship between heart rate variability and the serum testosterone-to-cortisol ratio during military service

The autonomic nervous system and circulating hormones control a stress reaction through a complex interaction. We tested the hypothesis that changes in cardiac vagal regulation may be positively associated with the serum testosterone-to-cortisol ratio during the first week of military service in 24 conscripts aged 19.0±0.3 years. Cardiac autonomic function was assessed by measuring high-frequency (HF: 0.15–0.4 Hz) and low-frequency (LF: 0.04–0.15 Hz) power spectral indices of R-R intervals during supine rest and during a controlled standing condition (5 min for both) from the second to the seventh mornings at the beginning of military service. Blood samples were collected to analyse the basal serum testosterone-to-cortisol ratio on the seventh morning. Changes in heart rate and high-frequency power measured in the standing condition were positively correlated with the serum testosterone-to-cortisol ratio at day 7 (r= − 0.42 and r=0.45, respectively; P<0.05 for both). However, changes in low-frequency power and LF/HF ratio did not correlate with testosterone or cortisol concentration. The present results suggest a relationship between changes in cardiac vagal regulation during a long-term mentally stressful condition and the serum testosterone-to-cortisol ratio. This association was more marked during the controlled standing condition.

The peculiarities of conscript’s experienced stress and coping

Stress and particularly coping is one of the most widely studied topics in military psychology. That is caused by two main reasons: 1. Military operational environment can be described as extremely stressful. One of the criteria of good military preparedness is the ability to perform in the stressful situations. 2. The price of stress effects on military performance can be very high. This article investigates peculiarities of conscript’s experienced stress and coping according transactional stress model of R. S. Lazarus. Sample of 114 conscripts was participating in the main research. Two scales – „The Primary Appraisal of Military Service Scale“ and „The Conscript’s Experienced Stress Scale“ – were specially constructed for this study. The secondary appraisal of military service was measured with four items proposed by R. S. Lazarus. Coping was assessed by D. Roger „Coping Style Questionnaire“ which was modified by A. Elklit. V. Domanskaitė-Gota and D. Gailienė (Vilnius University) prepared the Lithuanian versijon of this „Coping Style Questionnaire.“ Military service performance was assessed using the evaluation of theoretical tests and general evaluation of physical test.Gathered data confirmed 6 sources of conscripts’ stress. These are: 1) performance of military tasks; 2) tiredness and lack of time; 3) leaders’ behaviour; 4) everyday routine and conflicts; 5) making great demands of conscripts; 6) difficult tasks. It appeared that the biggest stress is caused by everyday minor events (tiredness and lack of time, everyday routine and conflicts), the smallest level of stress is associated with leaders’ behaviour and making great demands of conscripts. The stress level in the beginning of military service can be used for the anticipation of the stress level in the end of military service and also of the experienced stress in military service. Primary appraisal of different military service aspects was strongly related to experienced stress (p ≤ 0.01). Experienced stress was also significantly related to emotional and avoiding coping strategies (p ≤ 0.01). The significant correlation was also obtained while analysing results of military service performance and emotional coping strategy – those conscripts, who use emotional coping strategy more frequently, are worse evaluated for military service performance (p ≤ 0.05). The experienced stress was related to military service performance – those who had experienced small stress were evaluated better for military performance comparing with those conscripts who had experienced big stress.

First Psychotic Episodes among Israeli Youth during Military Service

The military setting offers unique opportunities for the study of the epidemiology of first psychotic episodes among Israeli youth. The aim of the present study was to describe characteristics of first psychotic episodes among a cohort of Israeli soldiers. Ninety soldiers, 67 males and 23 females, who were hospitalized for a first psychotic episode were studied and compared with 90 soldiers hospitalized in psychiatric units during the same year who were not psychotic. The results include a high rate of schizophreniform psychoses and schizophrenia; no gender difference in the occurrence of psychoses; within-average mean ratings on the preinduction psychometric intelligence test; no history of substance abuse; and a remarkable occurrence of psychiatric hospitalizations, including first psychotic episodes, during the stressful beginning of military service, supporting the hypothesis that psychotic symptoms are likely to occur in a stressful situation among vulnerable individuals. Follow-up studies will indicate whether early detection and treatment may improve the outcome of the psychoses.

Military service of male survivors of childhood malignancies.

The objective of this study was to assess the eligibility for and the course of compulsory military service of childhood cancer survivors. The medical, military recruitment, conscription, and military service data of male Finnish childhood cancer survivors were collected from manually filed records. Inclusion criteria were: survivors born 1977 or earlier, treated for a malignancy between birth and age 15 years, and followed by a pediatrician until at least age 18 years. The documents of 207 survivors from the Pediatric Clinics of Finnish University Hospitals were examined, and 130 of these survivors were considered eligible for military service. Demographic factors, the predictors of fitness for military service, factors associated with service interruption, the attained level of military training, and the health status of conscripts during service were evaluated. Comparisons were made with the Finnish male population of the same age and with conscripts serving at the corresponding time. Approximately 60% of studied survivors were enlisted. Positive predictors of fitness for service were year of birth of 1973 or later (odds ratio [OR], 3.2), height at call-up age of 170-174.9 cm (OR, 3.6), and the man's own positive opinion of his fitness for service (OR, 62.3). Negative predictors were age at diagnosis > or = 11 years (OR, 0.5), central nervous system radiotherapy (OR, 0.3), limb defects (OR, 0.02), and the group of sequelae concerning neurologic, cardiopulmonary, and gastrointestinal systems, or secondary malignancies (OR, 0.3). Survivors interrupted their service more often (20%) (P < 0.001). Leukemia survivors were less likely to interrupt their service (7%) compared with other survivors (P = 0.04). Factors associated with service interruption were: diagnosis (P = 0.04), the man's own opinion of his fitness for service (P = 0.013), surgery (P = 0.003), and height (P = 0.049), weight (P = 0.019), and body mass index (P = 0.035) at the beginning of military service. The attained level of military training was equal to that of controls. The survivors visited the garrison physician less frequently in total (mean, 5.9 times) (P < 0.001), visited because of infections as much as controls, and were off duty more (mean, 11.9 days) (P = 0.012) than controls. The current study found that childhood cancer survivors were less likely to meet the requirements set for military service in Finland. The causes of rejection usually were obvious, but approximately 30% were rejected merely on the basis of a former cancer diagnosis. However, enlisted survivors coped well with military service if their treatment sequelae were taken into consideration carefully at the time of enlistment. Vocational opportunities within the armed forces might be an appropriate career option even for survivors of childhood malignancies.

Alertness and sleep in young men during military service.

Alertness and sleep in healthy young men conscripted into military service were examined by testing personality characteristics and by completing questionnaires at the beginning of military service about their civilian life alertness and sleep, and by using polygraphic recordings during their military service. Sleep-time during service was restricted to 8 hours a night; 236 men answered the questionnaire on civilian life alertness and sleep; 116 men a Minnesota multiphasic personality inventory; 7 underwent conventional, and 29 static charge-sensitive bed sleep recordings. Daytime latencies to Stage 2 sleep were 11 +/- 2 min. Sleep latencies were the shortest 6 h after waking. Night sleep was normal in conventional recordings. Nocturnal activities in static charge-sensitive bed recordings were: motor-active waking 4 +/- 3%, active sleep 24 +/- 11%, intermediate sleep 22 +/- 8%, quiet sleep 47 +/- 13%, and undefined 4 +/- 2%. Positive answers to questions on civilian life sleepiness were related to high scores on scales for hypochondria, psychasthenia and sense of reality, and night sleep longer than 10 h to high scores for psychasthenia and sense of reality, but not to polygraphic measures. Two men with complaints about civil-time irresistible sleep at the time of beginning the military service had short Stage 2 latencies at the daytime minimum of alertness during service (4 and 8 min). Although alertness and sleep during military service were normal on average, the findings suggest that all conscripted individuals may not have had enough sleep.