U.S. Military Deployment During 2001–2006: Comparison of Subjective and Objective Data Sources in a Large Prospective Health Study

Purpose Studies researching service members' health after deployment have relied on self-reported deployment history, although validity of these data remains unknown. This study compared self-reported and electronic deployment data and explored differences in functional health. Methods Self-rep...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	Annals of epidemiology 2007-12, Vol.17 (12), p.976-982
Main Authors:	Smith, Besa, MPH, PhD, Wingard, Deborah L., PhD, Ryan, Margaret A.K., MD, MPH, Macera, Caroline A., PhD, Patterson, Thomas L., PhD, Slymen, Donald J., PhD
Format:	Article
Language:	eng
Subjects:	Adult Cohort Studies Female Health Status Health Surveys Humans Internal Medicine Iraq War, 2003-2011 Male Mental Health Middle Aged Military Medicine Military Personnel Military Personnel - statistics & numerical data Models, Statistical Prospective Studies Surveys and Questionnaires United States Veterans
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Summary:	Purpose Studies researching service members' health after deployment have relied on self-reported deployment history, although validity of these data remains unknown. This study compared self-reported and electronic deployment data and explored differences in functional health. Methods Self-reported and military deployment data were compared for more than 51,000 participants enrolled in the Millennium Cohort Study (2004–2006). Kappa statistics were used to measure agreement. Analysis of variance was used to assess functional health, as measured by the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 36-Item Health Survey for Veterans (SF-36V). Results Of 51,741 participants who completed the initial deployment question, objective records and self-report agreed in 47,355 (92%). Agreement was substantial for deployment status, frequency, and number of deployments (kappa = 0.81, 0.71, and 0.61, respectively). Deployment start dates agreed within 1 month for 82% of participants confirmed as deployed once. Participants' Mental and Physical Component Summary scores from the SF-36V did not differ by agreement level. Conclusions These findings indicate substantial agreement between self-reported and objective deployment information and no clinically meaningful differences in functional health for the small proportion with inconsistent deployment information. These findings should be reassuring to investigators who examine military deployment as a determinant of future health.
ISSN:	1047-2797 1873-2585