Injuries and Referral Patterns During Basic Combat Training: An Examination of Data From the Certified Athletic...

Area of Science:

• Military medicine
• Sports medicine
• Occupational health

Background:

• Basic Combat Training (BCT) incurs significant economic costs due to injuries.
• Athletic trainers (ATs) have proven effective in reducing referrals in other military settings.
• The impact of ATs in the BCT environment remains understudied.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the frequency and nature of sick call visits during BCT.
• To evaluate the effect of AT presence on Troop Medical Clinic (TMC) referrals.
• To determine the return on investment for AT integration in BCT.

Main Methods:

• A prospective cohort study was conducted over one year at Fort Jackson Army Training Center.
• Soldiers in BCT reporting to sick call were categorized into control, full-time medic, and part-time athletic trainer conditions.
• Logistic regression analyzed the odds of soldiers being returned to duty (RTD) versus referred, controlling for covariates.

Main Results:

• Over 14,000 sick call visits were documented, with physical injuries being the most common reason.
• Soldiers in both part-time athletic trainer (PAT) and full-time medic (FTM) conditions had significantly higher odds of being RTD compared to the control (CON) group.
• The Certified Athletic Trainer-Forward Program yielded a substantial return on investment of over $23 million.

Conclusions:

• Athletic trainers are effective in reducing unnecessary referrals and demonstrating value in the BCT setting.
• Integrating ATs into BCT can improve soldier disposition and reduce healthcare costs.
• The findings support the inclusion of ATs in BCT to enhance healthcare delivery and economic efficiency.