Long-term disability among aviators in Japan Air Self-Defense Force: analysis of 260 cases

As part of a study of the risks associated with aviator incapacitation, we identified the diseases that caused long-term disability (LTD) among aviators in the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF), and then assessed the magnitude of the problem that each group of diseases represented with regard to the safety of flight.

Case-notes for JASDF aviators who stopped work for more than 3 mo during 1980-2002 were identified from all files kept at the Medical Evaluation Section of the Aeromedical Laboratory. The case-notes were divided into four age groups and analyzed by diagnostic category or injury.

We identified 260 aviators with LTD, including 217 active-duty pilots and 43 navigators with flying status. Of those, 59 cases (22.7%) had permanent disability for flight. About 75% of LTD cases could be attributed to five diagnostic categories: neoplasms, nervous system and sense organs, circulatory system, digestive system, and musculoskeletal system. Peaks in LTD were found in the 20-29 and 40-49 age-groups. In the younger group, 78.2% of the patients were students, of whom 23 were found to have a disability associated with a preexisting medical condition which was not detected in the initial screening process for pilots. In the 20-29 yr age-group, the most common reason for LTD was the nervous system and sense organs, while in the 40-49 yr age-group it was the circulatory system.

Reduction in the frequency of LTD might be accomplished by improving the medical screening process for applicants and emphasizing the prevention of circulatory diseases during a pilot's career.