Article Text
Abstract
Introduction The Afghanistan war (2003–2014) was a unique period in military medicine. Many service personnel survived injuries of a severity that would have been fatal at any other time in history; the long-term health outcomes of such injuries are unknown. The ArmeD SerVices TrAuma and RehabilitatioN OutComE (ADVANCE) study aims to determine the long-term effects on both medical and psychosocial health of servicemen surviving this severe combat related trauma.
Methods and analysis ADVANCE is a prospective cohort study. 1200 Afghanistan-deployed male UK military personnel and veterans will be recruited and will be studied at 0, 3, 6, 10, 15 and 20 years. Half are personnel who sustained combat trauma; a comparison group of the same size has been frequency matched based on deployment to Afghanistan, age, sex, service, rank and role. Participants undergo a series of physical health tests and questionnaires through which information is collected on cardiovascular disease (CVD), CVD risk factors, musculoskeletal disease, mental health, functional and social outcomes, quality of life, employment and mortality.
Ethics and dissemination The ADVANCE Study has approval from the Ministry of Defence Research Ethics Committee (protocol no:357/PPE/12) agreed 15 January 2013. Its results will be disseminated through manuscripts in clinical/academic journals and presentations at professional conferences, and through participant and stakeholder communications.
Trial registration number The ADVANCE Study is registered at ISRCTN ID: ISRCTN57285353.
- cardiac epidemiology
- rehabilitation medicine
- mental health
- musculoskeletal disorders
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Supplementary Data
This web only file has been produced by the BMJ Publishing Group from an electronic file supplied by the author(s) and has not been edited for content.
Footnotes
ANB and DMD are joint first authors.
Collaborators Prof Alexander N Bennett, Prof Paul Cullinan, Prof Nicola T Fear, Prof Anthony M J Bull, Prof Christopher J Boos, Dr Susie Schofield, Mr Daniel M Dyball.
Contributors The study concept and design were conceived by AB, CJB, AMJB, NTF and PC. AB and DMD were the main authors of the paper. SS provided significant portions of the data analysis section and provided critical revisions to the whole paper. NTF, CJB, AMJB and PC provided critical revisions to the whole paper. Final approval of the whole paper was given by all authors. All authors agree to be accountable for all aspects of the accuracy and integrity of this protocol paper.
Funding The ADVANCE Study is supported by research grants from Help for Heroes, Her Majesty’s Treasury, Headley Court Trustees, Nuffield Trust for the Forces of the Crown, Blesma the limbless Veterans charity and also generously supported by the MoD.
Competing interests AB works for the Ministry of Defence. NTF receives funding from the MoD and is a trustee of a veteran charity. AMJB directs a research centre that receives funding from veteran’s charities and is supported by the Ministry of Defence.
Patient consent for publication Not required.
Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.
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