Exposure assessment allows for the identification, evaluation and control of health risks. However, it can be challenging to assess exposures in military/Veteran studies given the wide variety of environments and hazards that can be encountered during active service; the limited data collection at the time of exposure; and the long time periods between exposure and disease onset.

What is this Research About?

Research has shown that both male and female Veterans report higher prevalence of some chronic diseases compared to their civilian counterparts. This paper examines key considerations for assessing exposure in long-term health studies of military/Veteran populations, such as the classification of hazards and exposures, data collection techniques, and methods for estimating health risks.

What did the Researchers Do?

The researchers identified and summarized existing knowledge related to exposure assessment (e.g.; hazards, measurement techniques, data sources, technologies, military occupations and exposed groups) to identify key considerations to support future health studies and exposure assessment practices.

What did the Researchers Find

• The development of new research knowledge focused on military exposures is important to protect the health of current and former military personnel.
• Choices concerning populations to examine, data sources, and methods to assign exposures require careful consideration about the hazards of interest and their relationship to the health effects under study.
• Research to understand links between military exposures and long-term health outcomes in Veterans is strengthened through collaboration across research disciplines, government departments, and countries.
• It is important to record and centralize information on exposures that have occurred during military service to facilitate accessibility and use over time (e.g., linkages with information on health outcomes in Veterans).

Source

Hall AL, MacLean M, VanTil L, McBride D, Glass D. (2020) Considering exposure assessment in epidemiological studies of chronic health in military populations. Frontiers in Public Health, 8:577601. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2020.577601

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2020.577601/full