Associations Between Self-Reported Burn Pit Exposure and Functional Status, 1990-2021
Jean-Sébastien Chassé1, Carlo Rossi1, John Downs2
1Directorate of Health Force Protection, Canadian Forces Health Services Group, Nepean, Ontario K1A 0K2, Canada.
Military Medicine
|December 27, 2023
Summary
Exposure to open burn pits during military deployment is linked to reduced functional status in service members. Longer deployment may have a slight positive impact on function, potentially indicating a "healthy deployer" effect.
Area of Science:
- Military medicine
- Environmental health
- Occupational health
Background:
- The Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry (AHOBPR) collects self-reported data on military exposures and functional status.
- Burn pits were utilized in military operations, raising concerns about potential health impacts on service members.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between burn pit exposure and functional status among military personnel.
- To examine the impact of specific burn pit duties and cumulative deployment duration on functional status.
Main Methods:
- A retrospective cross-sectional analysis of 234,061 participants in the AHOBPR was performed.
- Exposure was defined by self-reported burn pit presence or specific duties, quantified by cumulative days.
- Linear regression was used to analyze the relationship between exposure and functional score, adjusted for covariates.
Main Results:
- A significant negative association was found between cumulative burn pit exposure days and functional score, indicating a dose-response relationship.
- Performing burn pit duties was significantly associated with a lower functional score.
- A modest positive association was observed between cumulative deployment days and functional score.
Conclusions:
- Cumulative exposure to open burn pits is associated with decreased functional status in service members.
- A potential
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