Improving musculoskeletal injury surveillance methods in Special Operation Forces: A Delphi consensus study

Area of Science:

• Military medicine
• Public health surveillance
• Injury prevention science

Background:

• Musculoskeletal injuries are a significant concern for military personnel readiness and health.
• Existing injury surveillance data in Special Operations Forces (SOF) research often lacks accuracy, reliability, and completeness.
• Inconsistent evidence hinders effective injury prevention strategies in military organizations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To achieve expert consensus on improved injury surveillance methods specifically for Special Operations Forces (SOF).
• To enhance the quality and completeness of injury data used for evidence-based injury prevention.
• To address limitations in current SOF injury surveillance systems.

Main Methods:

• A Delphi study methodology was employed, involving military injury surveillance stakeholders.
• Iterative questionnaires with closed and open-ended questions were used to gather expert opinions.
• Consensus was defined as 75% group agreement, with two rounds of data collection from 16 participants.

Main Results:

• Consensus was achieved on 77.5% of items in the second round, compared to 17.9% in the first round.
• Key challenges identified include recording injury causation, personnel reporting behaviors, and system infrastructure limitations.
• Preliminary recommendations for future SOF injury surveillance were developed based on expert agreement.

Conclusions:

• Expert consensus supports the need for enhanced data collection in military injury surveillance.
• Improved surveillance methods are essential to strengthen the evidence base for SOF injury prevention.
• The study provides a foundation for developing more robust and effective injury surveillance systems in SOF.