MEDICAL AND STATISTICAL INDICATORS OF MORBIDITY AMONG CONSCRIPTS IN ARMED FORCES OF THE REPUBLIC OF BELARUS AND RUSSIAN FEDERATION (2003–2016)
Authors: Evdokimov V. I. , Chernov D. A. , Sivashhenko P. P. , Eskov A. S. 
Published: September 2018

Relevance.The conditions of military service, which significantly differ from civilian life, can cause health disorders in army conscripts that reduce the combat readiness and fighting efficiency of troops.

Intention.Identify the medical and statistical indicators of the morbidity of army conscripts in the Armed Forces (AF) of the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation.

Methodology.We conducted a random statistical analysis of medical reports on the health status of military personnel and on activities of the medical services (form 3/MED) from military units located in different military districts, branches and types of troops in which more than 60% of the total number of conscripts served in the AF of Belarus and Russia from 2003 to 2016. Counting and analysis unification of morbidity of conscripts was achieved using the International Classification of Diseases, Trauma and Causes of Death, the 10th review (ICD-10).

Results and their analysis.The average annual level of the general morbidity of conscripts in the AF of Belarus was (2860.7 ± 98.6) ‰, primary disease incidence (1638.2 ± 79.1) ‰, the need for dispensary observation - (93.5 ± 9.5) ‰, hospitalization – (931.6 ± 44.2) ‰, days of disability – (8406 ± 327) ‰, dismissing for health reasons – (15.80 ± 0.64) ‰. The duration of 1 case of disability was (9.3 ± 0.2) days, death rate per 100,000 people per year – (35.06 ± 5.01). The average annual level of these indicators among conscripts in the AF of Russia was (1849.3 ± 55.7) ‰, (1026.5 ± 56.3), (125.9 ± 7.8), (916.2 ± 54.3), (10 173 ± 376), (18.32 ± 1.23) ‰, (11.3 ± 0.3) days and (45.41 ± 6.37) deaths, respectively. Data relatively independent from the human factor (hospitalization, dismissing, mortality) were practically similar. It should be noted that the curves of these indicators had statistically significant congruencies, which indicated the influence of similar factors on their formation. A quite similar structure of the military and epidemiological significance of health disorders is established for conscripts in the AF of Belarus and Russia. Traumas, poisoning and some other consequences of external causes (ICD-10 Chapter XIX) ranked first, diseases of respiratory system (Chapter X) ranked second, and diseases of digestive system (XI), diseases of the circulatory system (IX), diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue, mental and behavioral disorders (V) occupied places from 3 to 7. Some outstanding features were also revealed during generalized evaluation: skin and subcutaneous tissue diseases (Chapter XII) prevailed in Belorussian conscripts and some infectious and parasitic diseases (ICD-10 Chapter I) – in Russian conscripts.

Conclusion.Preventive measures against leading diseases will contribute to improving the health status of conscripts. Based on the established medical and statistical indicators, probabilities of specific health disorders in military can be calculated.