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Armed Forces Health Surveillance Branch

Health Surveillance, Analysis and Insight for Action

Armed Forces Health Surveillance Branch is the central epidemiology health resource for the US Military and Public Health

The Armed Forces Health Surveillance Branch (AFHSB) is the central epidemiologic resource for the U.S. Armed Forces, conducting medical surveillance to protect those who serve our nation in uniform and allies who are critical to our national security interests. Explore our website to learn about the critical role AFHSB plays in force health protection.

AFHSB provides timely, relevant, actionable and comprehensive health surveillance information to promote, maintain, and enhance the health of military and military-associated populations.

AFHSB critical functions are:

  • Acquire, analyze, interpret, disseminate information, and recommend evidence-based policy
  • Develop, refine, and improve standardized health surveillance methods
  • Serve as the focal point for sharing health surveillance products expertise and information
  • Coordinate a global program of military-relevant infectious disease surveillance

Explore our health surveillance resources to learn how to utilize our data applications, systems and the ways our health information analysis supports worldwide disease surveillance and public health activities to improve the U.S. military's Force Health Protection (FHP) program.

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Medical Surveillance Monthly Report

Medical Surveillance Monthly Report MSMR Online SubscriptionThe Medical Surveillance Monthly Report (MSMR) is AFHSB's flagship publication. The monthly peer-reviewed journal provides evidence-based estimates of the incidence, distribution, impact, and trends of health-related conditions among service members. Additionally, the MSMR focuses one issue per year on the absolute and relative morbidity burden attributable to various illnesses and injuries among service members and beneficiaries.

 View Current Report  View Archived Reports

Launch Proposal Management Information SystemThe Proposal Management Information Solution (ProMIS) program is a web-based application used to track surveillance projects funded by AFHSB's Global Emerging Infections Surveillance (GEIS) Operations section. Investigators in the GEIS partner network submit proposals for funding through the system, and GEIS Operations monitors the progress of those projects.

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DMED ButtonThe Defense Medical Epidemiology Database (DMED) provides worldwide access to de-identified data contained in the Defense Medical Surveillance System (DMSS). Through this user-friendly interface, authorized users can create customized queries of disease and injury rates in active duty populations.

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2016 – 2017 Cold Season, Cold Weather Injuries, Active and Reserve Components, U.S. Armed Forces

Infographic
1/18/2018
or the 2016 – 2017 cold season, the number of active component service members with cold weather injuries was the lowest of the last 18 cold seasons since the Medical Surveillance Monthly Report (MSMR) began reporting such data in the 1999-2000 cold season. Findings • The overall incidence rate for cold weather injuries for all active component service members in 2016 – 2017 was 15% lower than the rate for the 2015 – 2016 cold season. • The 2016 – 2017 rate was the lowest of the entire five year surveillance period. • In the 2016 – 2017 cold season, the Army’s incidence rate of 41.0 per 100,000 person-years for active component soldiers was 18% lower than the Army’s lowest previous rate in 2012 – 2013. • In the Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps, the active component rate for 2016 – 2017 was only slightly higher than their lowest rates during the 2012—2017 surveillance period. Pie chart 1 (left side of infographic): Cold Weather Injuries, By Service, Active Component, 2016 – 2017 data • Army 57.6% (n=189) • Marine Corps 21.0% (n=69) • Air Force - 13.1% (n=43) • Navy – 8.2% (n=27) • The sharp decline in the Army rate during the 2016 – 2017 cold season drove the overall decline for all services combined. Pie chart 2 (right side of infographic): Percentage distribution by service of cold weather injuries among reserve component service members during cold season 2016 – 2017 • Army 72.9% (n=43) • Marine Corps 13.5% (n=8) • Air Force 13.5% (n=8) • Navy (n= 0) • For the 2016 – 2017 cold season, the overall rate of cold weather injuries for the reserve component and the rates for each of the services except the Air Force were lower than in any of the previous four seasons. Access the full report in the October 2017 MSMR (Vol. 24, No. 10). Go to: www.Health.mil/MSMR

This infographic documents cold weather injuries among the active and reserve components of the U.S. Armed Forces for the 2016 – 2017 cold season.

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Five cold seasons: July 2012-June 2017, Active reserve component service members who were diagnosed with a cold weather injury

Infographic
1/18/2018
Did you know during the 5-year surveillance period, the 2,717 service members who were affected by any cold weather injury included 2,307 from the active component and 410 from the reserve component. Overall, Army members comprised the majority (61.6%) of all cold injuries affecting active and reserve component service members. Of all affected reserve component members, 71.7% (n=294) were members of the Army. Cold weather injuries During Basic Training Of all active component service members who were diagnosed with a cold weather injury (n= 2,307), 230 (10.0% of the total) were affected during basic training. Additionally, during the surveillance period, 60 service members who were diagnosed with cold weather injuries during basic training (2.6% of the total) were hospitalized, and most (93.3%) of the hospitalized cases were members of either the Army (n=32) or Marine Corps (n=24). Cold weather injuries during basic training pie chart: The Army (n=122) and Marine Corps (n=99) comprised 96.1% of all basic trainees who were diagnosed with a cold weather injury. Access the full report in the October 2017 MSMR (Vol. 24, No. 10). Go to: www.Health.mil/MSMR #ColdReadiness Image of service member tracking in the snow is the infographic background graphic.

This infographic provides information on active and reserve component service members who were affected by any cold weather injury during the July 2012 – June 2017 cold seasons.

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Cold weather injuries during deployments, July 2012 – June 2017

Infographic
1/18/2018
During the 5-year surveillance period, 105 cold weather injuries were diagnosed and treated in service members deployed outside the U.S. of these, 39 (37%) were immersion injuries; 33 (31%) were frostbite; 16 (15%) were hypothermia; and 17 (16%) were “unspecified” cold weather injuries. Pie chart for cold weather injuries during deployments displays depicting the information above. Number of cold weather injuries bar chart: Of all 105 cold weather injuries during the surveillance period, 68% occurred during the first two cold seasons. Bar chart shows the number of cold weather injuries by year: • 2012-2013 cold season had 35 cold weather injuries • 2013-2014 cold season had 100 cold weather injuries • 2014 -2015 cold season had 13 cold weather injuries • 2015-2016 cold season had 11 cold weather injuries • 2016 – 2017 had 10 cold weather injuries Access the full report in the October 2017 MSMR (Vol. 24, No. 10). Go to: www.Health.mil/MSMR #ColdReadiness

This infographic documents cold weather injuries during deployments for the July 2012 – June 2017 cold seasons.

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Update: Cold Weather Injuries, Active and reserve components, U.S. Armed Forces, July 2012 – June 2017

Infographic
1/18/2018
The total number of cold weather injuries among active component service members in 2016 – 2017 cold season was the lowest since 1999. 2016 – 2017 versus the previous four cold seasons • A total of 387 members of the active (n=328) and reserve (n=59) components had at least one medical encounter with a primary diagnosis of cold weather injury. • Rates tended to be higher among service members who were in the youngest age groups, female, non-Hispanic black, or in the Army. • Cold weather injuries associated with overseas deployments have fallen precipitously in the past three cold seasons due to changes in military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. There were just 10 cases in the 2016 – 2017 season. • Frostbite was the most common type of cold weather injury. Bar chart displays numbers of service members who had a cold injury (one per person per year), by service and cold season, active and reserve components, U.S. Armed Forces, July 2012 – June 2017. Access the full report in the October 2017 MSMR (Vol. 24, No. 10). Go to: www.Health.mil/MSMR #ColdReadiness

This infographic provides an update for cold weather injuries among active and reserve components, U.S. Armed Forces, July 2012 – June 2017.

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Percentages of each Service’s cold weather injuries, 2016 – 2017 cold season

Infographic
1/18/2018
Did you know when all cold weather injuries were considered, not just the numbers of individuals affected, frostbite was the most common type of cold weather injury, comprising 53% (n=177) of all cold weather injuries among active component service members in 2016 – 2017? • In the Air Force and Army respectively, 60.9% and 58.9% of all cold weather injuries were frostbite, whereas the proportions in the Marine Corps (42.9%) and Navy (25.0%) were much lower. • For the Navy, the 2016-2017 number and rate of frostbite injuries in active component service members were the lowest of the past 5 years. • The number of immersion injury cases in 2016 – 2017 in the Marine Corps was the lowest of the 5-year surveillance period. Bar graph: Percentages of each Service’s cold weather injuries that were frostbite, 2016 – 2017 cold season • Air Force (60.9%) • Army (58.9%) • Marine Corps (42.9%) • Navy (25.0%) For all active component service members during the 2016 – 2017, the proportions of non-frostbite cold weather injuries were as follows: • 19.5% hypothermia • 17.7% immersion injuries • 9.9% Other & unspecified cold weather injuries Access the full report in the October 2017 MSMR (Vol. 24, No. 10). Go to: www.Health.mil/MSMR #ColdReadiness

This infographic documents the percentages of each service’s cold weather injuries, U.S. Armed Forces for the 2016 – 2017 cold season.

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Cold weather injuries by military location, U.S. Armed Forces, July 2012 – June 2017

Infographic
1/18/2018
From July 2016 through June 2017, a total of 24 military locations had at least 30 incident cold weather injuries (one per person, per year) among active and reserve component service members. The locations with the highest 5-year counts of incident injuries were: • Fort Wainwright, AK (175) • Bavaria (Grafenwoehr/Vilseck), Germany (110) • Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island/ Beaufort, SC (102) • Fort Benning, GA (99) • Fort Carson, CO (88) • Marine Corps Base Quantico, VA (86) • Fort Bragg, NC (78) Map displays the information above. 2016 – 2017 cold season During the 2016 – 2017 cold season, the numbers of incident cases of cold weather injuries were higher than the counts for the previous 2015-2016 cold season at seven of the 24 locations. The most noteworthy increase was found at the Army’s Fort Wainwright, where there were 48 total cases diagnosed in 2016 – 2017 , compared to just 16 during the 2015 – 2016 cold season. Bar chart shows annual number of cold weather injuries (cold season 2016 – 2017) and median number of cold weather injuries (cold seasons 2012 – 2016) at military locations with at least 30 cold weather injuries during the surveillance period, active component, U.S. Armed Forces, July 2012 – June 2017. Access the full report in the October 2017 MSMR (Vol. 24, No. 10). Go to: www.Health.mil/MSMR Image in background includes service members out in the snow.

This infographic documents cold weather injuries by military location among U.S. Armed Forces for the July 2012 – June 2017 cold seasons.

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Incidence rates of cold weather injuries: Non-Hispanic black service members, five cold weather seasons, July 2012 – June 2017

Infographic
1/18/2018
Did you know for all of the services, overall rates of cold weather injuries were higher among non-Hispanic black service members than among those of other race/ethnicity groups? • Rates of cold weather injuries among non-Hispanic black service members were two-times as high as those among non-Hispanic white or other race/ethnicity groups. • The rates of frostbite among non-Hispanic black service members were three-times those of the other race/ethnicity groups. Access the full report in the October 2017 MSMR (Vol. 24, No. 10). Go to www.Health.mil/MSMR #ColdReadiness Image of non-Hispanic black service member in the snow displays.

This infographic documents incidence rates of cold weather injuries among non-Hispanic black service members during the July 2012 – June 2017 cold weather seasons.

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Guarding the health of service members

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1/9/2018
James Coker focuses on protecting service member health every day as deputy chief of the Public Health Division at the Defense Health Agency. Here he is exploring a Mount Denali glacier “off the clock” while stationed in Alaska as a public health flight commander at Elmendorf Air Force Base. (Courtesy photo)

The vital role of the Public Health Division

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Global Influenza Summary: January 7, 2018

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1/7/2018

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Complications and Care Related to Pregnancy, Labor and Delivery among Active Component Service Women U.S. Armed Forces, 2012 – 2016

Infographic
1/5/2018
Maternal complications and delivery outcomes are important components of the overall health and well-being of reproductive-age service women. This analysis provides an update on pregnancy complications and characterizes the counts, rates, and trends of several specific pregnancy complications. FINDINGS • 55,601 U.S. service women whose pregnancies resulted in 63,879 live births had 657,060 medical encounters • For all age groups, percentages of live births affected by preterm labor decreased, but during 2012 – 2016, the percentages of pregnant service members diagnosed with obesity increased. • The percentage of pregnant service members affected by gestational diabetes was more than twice as high for obese women, compared with non-obese women (12.4% vs. 5.5%). Bar graph shows the number of medical encounters with a primary (first-listed) diagnosis of any pregnancy-related complication or indication for care decreased each year between 2012 and 2016. Access the full report in the November 2017 MSMR (Vol. 24, No. 11). Go to: www.Health.mil/MSMR Background image: New born being provided medical attention by nurse. Secondary image: babies of diverse background on a blanket.

This analysis provides an update on pregnancy complications and characterizes the counts, rates, and trends of several specific pregnancy complications.

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Gestational diabetes among pregnant service members, active component, U.S. Armed Forces 2012 – 2016

Infographic
1/5/2018
Gestational diabetes is an abnormal increase in blood sugar levels that can adversely affect the health of both a pregnant woman and her baby. During 2012 – 2016, 4,017 (6.3%) of active component female service members who had live births were affected by gestational diabetes. Women aged 25-34 and 35-49 years had consistently higher annual prevalences of gestational diabetes than younger females. The percentage of pregnant service members affected by gestational diabetes was more than twice as high for obese women as for non-obese women (12.4% vs. 5.5%). The percentage of live births affected by gestational diabetes increased with increasing age and was highest among Asians/Pacific Islanders. Access the full report in the November 2017 MSMR (Vol. 24, No. 11). Go to: www.Health.mil/MSMR

This infographic documents the incidence and prevalence of gestational diabetes pregnant service members, active component, U.S. Armed Forces, 2012 – 2016.

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Contraception among active component service women, U.S. Armed Forces, 2012 – 2016

Infographic
1/5/2018
Because the majority of women serving in the Armed Forces are of childbearing age, and women’s military career opportunities have expanded into combat roles, contraceptive health care is an increasingly important public health issue. The lack of available, population-based descriptive information on contraceptive use among U.S. service women has generated questions and concerns about ready access to these medical products. This infographic summarizes the annual prevalence of permanent sterilization, as well as use of long – and short-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs and SARCs, respectively), contraceptive counseling services, and use of emergency contraception from 2012 through 2016, among active component service women. FINDINGS • 2012 through 2016, Sterilization decreased from 4.2% to 3.6% LARC use increased from 17.2% to 21.7%; SARC use decreased from 38.5% to 30.4%. • Emergency contraception use increased from 0.4% to 1.9%. • Among deployed women, the average annual prevalence of permanent sterilization was 4.2%. • For deployed women, LARC use was 17.9% SARC use was 28.0%. • Emergency contraception use among deployed women was 0.4%. • 262,907 (76.2%) women of childbearing potential (WOCBP) used either a LARC or a SARC at some time during the surveillance period. • The vast majority of service women have utilized at least one form of contraception, and women are selecting LARCs in greater numbers with each passing year. The bar graph displays information on the annual prevalence of contraceptive utilization, by type, service women of child-bearing potential, active component, U.S. Armed Forces, 2012– 2016. Graphic displayed: contraception option. Access the full report in the November 2017 MSMR (Vol. 24, No. 11). Go to: www.Health.mil/MSMR

This infographic summarizes the annual prevalence of permanent sterilization, as well as use of long – and short-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs and SARCs, respectively), contraceptive counseling services, and use of emergency contraception from 2012 through 2016, among active component service women.

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Global Influenza Summary: December 31, 2017

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12/31/2017

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Global Influenza Summary: December 24, 2017

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12/24/2017

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Global respiratory surveillance program detects dangerous pathogens to keep armed forces healthy

Article
12/21/2017
Data from the Department of Defense Global Respiratory Pathogen Surveillance Program are presented to the Food and Drug Administration's annual Vaccine and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee meeting to help inform the vaccine strain in the U.S. for the upcoming season that is administered to U.S. Armed Forces for health protection and readiness. (Photo Courtesy of Defense Imagery Management Operations Center)

To reduce the impact of respiratory pathogens on service members, the Armed Forces Health Surveillance Branch coordinates a global respiratory surveillance program for the military. Learn how the program detects dangerous pathogens to keep armed forces healthy.

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