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Heat illness in the army in Cyprus
1Royal Army Medical College, Millbank, London, UK.
Occupational Medicine (Oxford, England)
|August 1, 1996
Summary
British Armed Forces personnel in Cyprus experienced significant heat illness risks, with 96 casualties reported between 1990-1994. Current guidelines are insufficient to prevent all heat casualties, necessitating further review.
Area of Science:
- Occupational Health
- Environmental Medicine
- Military Medicine
Background:
- Heat illness poses a significant occupational risk to military personnel.
- Previous studies have highlighted the vulnerability of soldiers to heat-related conditions during deployments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze heat casualty reports in the British Armed Forces in Episkopi, Cyprus, from 1990-1994.
- To evaluate the effectiveness of existing heat illness prevention guidelines.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 48 reported incidents involving 96 heat casualties.
- Correlation of incidents with environmental factors like Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT).
- Categorization of casualties by unit type (Cyprus-based vs. visiting) and activity (marching vs. field training).
Main Results:
- 96 heat casualties reported across 48 incidents, with a peak in May-August.
- Most casualties occurred at WBGT 26-29°C, with visiting Territorial Army units showing the highest incidence.
- Forced marching caused most casualties in local units, while field training predominated for visiting units.
Conclusions:
- Current British Armed Forces heat illness guidelines are insufficient to prevent all casualties.
- Incomplete acclimatization was the primary identified individual risk factor.
- Further investigation of severe or multiple casualty incidents is recommended to refine guidelines.