By the Numbers: 3 December 2018
15%
The percentage of recent U.S. military Veterans who were discharged from the service for misconduct, according to a recent article in the journal Preventing Chronic Disease -- Chronic Health Conditions Among US Veterans Discharged From Military Service for Misconduct. Among the findings reported in the article:
- Compared with routinely-discharged veterans, misconduct-discharged veterans had lower levels of education and more were unmarried, served in the Army, and were of enlisted rank (Table 1). At the beginning of follow up, the average age of the sample was 26.7 years for misconduct-discharged veterans and 31.6 years for routinely-discharged veterans.
- Misconduct discharge was significantly associated with higher risk for several conditions (Table 2). Among men, misconduct discharge was associated with significantly higher odds for cardiac arrhythmias (AOR = 1.2), paralysis (AOR = 2.1), neurological disorders (AOR = 2.1), chronic pulmonary disease (AOR = 1.3), liver disease (AOR = 1.6), peptic ulcer disease (AOR = 1.5), acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)/HIV (AOR = 3.3), weight loss (AOR = 1.4), and fluid and electrolyte disorders (AOR = 1.7).
- Among women, misconduct discharge was associated with significantly higher odds for neurological disorders (AOR = 2.8), chronic pulmonary disease (AOR = 1.4), liver disease (AOR = 2.5), peptic ulcer disease (AOR = 4.2), metastatic cancer (AOR = 5.9), solid tumor without metastasis (AOR = 2.0), and weight loss (AOR = 2.1).
- Men and women with a misconduct discharge had higher odds for alcohol abuse, drug abuse, depression, and psychosis (AOR range, 2.5–8.0). For mental health–related outcomes, the presence of diagnoses in multiple subcategories was more common among misconduct-discharged veterans, indicating higher comorbidity.
The journal Preventing Chronic Disease is published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
15%
The percentage of recent U.S. military Veterans who were discharged from the service for misconduct, according to a recent article in the journal Preventing Chronic Disease -- Chronic Health Conditions Among US Veterans Discharged From Military Service for Misconduct. Among the findings reported in the article:
- Compared with routinely-discharged veterans, misconduct-discharged veterans had lower levels of education and more were unmarried, served in the Army, and were of enlisted rank (Table 1). At the beginning of follow up, the average age of the sample was 26.7 years for misconduct-discharged veterans and 31.6 years for routinely-discharged veterans.
- Misconduct discharge was significantly associated with higher risk for several conditions (Table 2). Among men, misconduct discharge was associated with significantly higher odds for cardiac arrhythmias (AOR = 1.2), paralysis (AOR = 2.1), neurological disorders (AOR = 2.1), chronic pulmonary disease (AOR = 1.3), liver disease (AOR = 1.6), peptic ulcer disease (AOR = 1.5), acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)/HIV (AOR = 3.3), weight loss (AOR = 1.4), and fluid and electrolyte disorders (AOR = 1.7).
- Among women, misconduct discharge was associated with significantly higher odds for neurological disorders (AOR = 2.8), chronic pulmonary disease (AOR = 1.4), liver disease (AOR = 2.5), peptic ulcer disease (AOR = 4.2), metastatic cancer (AOR = 5.9), solid tumor without metastasis (AOR = 2.0), and weight loss (AOR = 2.1).
- Men and women with a misconduct discharge had higher odds for alcohol abuse, drug abuse, depression, and psychosis (AOR range, 2.5–8.0). For mental health–related outcomes, the presence of diagnoses in multiple subcategories was more common among misconduct-discharged veterans, indicating higher comorbidity.
The journal Preventing Chronic Disease is published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).