Online Program

279600
Assessing self-reported recall of unintentional musculoskeletal injuries in Naval Special Warfare Operators


Sunday, November 3, 2013

Mita Lovalekar, MBBS, PhD, MPH, Department of Sports Medicine and Nutrition, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
John Abt, PhD, ATC, Department of Sports Medicine and Nutrition, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
Timothy Sell, PhD, PT, Department of Sports Medicine and Nutrition, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
Anthony Zimmer, ATC, Department of Sports Medicine and Nutrition, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
Scott Lephart, PhD, Department of Sports Medicine and Nutrition, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
Background/Purpose: Self-reported data are often used in injury epidemiology studies, but they are prone to issues with recall. The aim of this analysis was to assess the self-reported recall of unintentional musculoskeletal injuries among Naval Special Warfare (NSW) Operators, and identify factors affecting recall.

Methods: Injuries obtained from self-reports and medical records among 101 NSW Operators (age 28.5 ± 5.6 years) were matched by anatomic location, injury side (for extremity injuries), injury year and type. Recall was expressed as the percent of medical record-reviewed injuries correctly recalled in the self-report. Injuries were classified as recent (≤ 4 years since injury) or old injuries (> 4 years since injury). Proportions were compared using Fisher's exact tests.

Results: A total of 374 medical record injuries were reviewed. The most common location for injury was the lower extremity (54.5%). Common injury types were strains (16.6%) and sprains (13.4%). Recall was generally low (20.6% on matching location and year, 12.0% on matching location, year and type). Recall depended on injury severity and time since injury. Recall was higher for traumatic fractures as compared to less severe non-fracture injuries (p < 0.05). Recall for non-fracture injuries was higher for recent as compared to old injuries (p < 0.05). This effect of time on recall was not observed for fractures (p > 0.05).

Conclusion: Self-reported recall was generally low, and was influenced by injury severity and recall time. Further investigation of factors affecting recall of injuries and methods to improve recall in this population is necessary.

Learning Areas:

Epidemiology
Public health or related research

Learning Objectives:
List factors affecting self-reported recall of unintentional musculoskeletal injuries in Naval Special Warfare Operators. Describe common musculoskeletal injuries recorded in the medical charts of Naval Special Warfare Operators.

Keyword(s): Injury, Epidemiology

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have a doctoral degree in epidemiology, and research experience in injury surveillance, injury prevention and injury epidemiology. I am working on research projects designed to prevent unintentional musculoskeletal injuries in the military.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.