RESEARCH PAPER
Strategic medical evacuations of the personnel of Polish Military Contingents
More details
Hide details
1
Oddział Operacyjno-Medyczny, Dowództwo Operacyjne Rodzajów Sił Zbrojnych, Polska
Submission date: 2024-06-11
Acceptance date: 2024-06-12
Publication date: 2024-12-23
Corresponding author
Krzysztof Andrzej Szachta
Oddział Operacyjno-Medyczny, Dowództwo Operacyjne Rodzajów Sił Zbrojnych, Radiowa 2, 00-908, Warszawa, Polska
LW 2024;102(4):283-289
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
Introduction and objective: Diseases and Non-Battle Injuries are the main reason for Strategic Medical Evacuations
(STRATMEDEVAC) in Polish Military Contingents in Romania, Latvia, Kosovo, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. From 2021, there is no requirement for Polish soldiers to attend a health assessment by the Medical Evaluation Boards (MEB) before deployment to Polish Military Contingents in Europe or the NATO states. This study aimed to estimate the impact of the abolition of compulsory health assessments by the MEB on the number of STRATMEDEVAC and deaths in Polish Military Contingents. Material and methods: The analysis of medical evacuations of Polish soldiers performed in the years 2018–2019 (the period before the change in health assessment regulations) was compared to STRATMEDEVAC in 2022–2023 from Polish Military Contingents in Romania, Latvia, Kosovo, Bosnia and Hercegovina. Results: In 2022–2023, there was an increase in the incidence rate of losses in the category of Diseases and Non-Battle Injuries instigating STRATMEDEVAC (IRR = 2.07, p = 0.006). There were not any statistically significant differences in either the category of Diseases (counted separately with the results: IRR = 1.58, p = 0.26) or STRATMEDEVAC requiring a medical team with a dedicated aircraft (IRR = 1.23, p = 0.66) or total mortality rate including all causes of
death in Polish Military Contingents (IRR = 0.99, p = 0.99). Conclusions: It is probable the preventive influence of soldiers’ health assessments before deployment to military operations affects the rate of non-battle injuries. However, to estimate it, a detailed assessment of the individual certificates issued by the MEB must be conducted.