Unmatched cohort | Age- and sex-matched cohort | Carefully matched cohort | ||||
Deployed veterans | Non-deployed comparators | Deployed veterans | Non-deployed comparators | Deployed veterans | Non-deployed comparators | |
n | 21 721 | 1 860 690 | 21 628 | 108 140 | 21 627 | 107 284 |
Men | 21 033 (97%) | 1 845 270 (99%) | 20 953 (97%) | 104 765 (97%) | 21 005 (97%) | 104 744 (98%) |
Women | 688 (3.2%) | 15 420 (0.8%) | 675 (3.1%) | 3375 (3.1%) | 622 (2.9%) | 2540 (2.4%) |
At conscription | ||||||
Age (years) | 18.2 (0.6) | 18.4 (0.9) | 18.2 (0.6) | 18.2 (0.5) | 18.2 (0.6) | 18.2 (0.5) |
Height (cm) | 180 (7) | 179 (7) | 180 (7) | 179 (7) | 180 (7) | 180 (7) |
Weight (kg) | 72.1 (10.4) | 70.5 (11.1) | 72.1 (10.4)* | 71.0 (11.4) | 72.1 (10.4) | 72.1 (10.4) |
BMI (kg/m2) | 22.3 (2.8) | 21.9 (3.1) | 22.3 (2.8) | 22.1 (3.1) | 22.3 (2.8) | 22.3 (2.8) |
Systolic blood pressure, mm Hg | 130 (11) | 129 (11) | 130 (11) | 129 (11) | 130 (11) | 129 (11) |
Diastolic blood pressure, mm Hg | 67 (10) | 68 (10) | 67 (10) | 67 (10) | 67 (10) | 67 (10) |
Cognitive ability | ||||||
Mean (SD) | 5.7 (1.6) | 4.9 (2.1) | 5.7 (1.6)* | 4.9 (2.1) | 5.7 (1.6) | 5.7 (1.6) |
Median (p25–p75) | 6 (5–7) | 5 (4–6) | 6 (5–7) | 5 (4–6) | 6 (5–7) | 6 (5–7) |
Psychological assessment | ||||||
Mean (SD) | 6.3 (1.4) | 5.1 (1.7) | 6.3 (1.4)* | 5.1 (1.7) | 6.3 (1.4) | 6.3 (1.4) |
Median (p25–p75) | 6 (5–7) | 5 (4–6) | 6 (5–7) | 5 (4–6) | 6 (5–7) | 6 (5–7) |
Exercise capacity (Watt) | ||||||
Mean (SD) | 305 (62) | 251 (96) | 305 (62)* | 284 (67) | 305 (62) | 304 (60) |
Median (p25–p75) | 310 (272–341) | 264 (227–310) | 310 (272–342) | 288 (250–330) | 310 (272–342) | 308 (270–340) |
History of mental health problems | 191 (0.9%) | 105 939 (5.7%) | 191 (0.9%)* | 4632 (4.3%) | 182 (0.8%) | 849 (0.8%) |
Predeployment (or matching) | ||||||
Age (Years) | 27 (6) | – | 27 (6) | 27 (6) | 27 (6) | 27 (6) |
Self-harm | 119 (0.6%) | n/a | 119 (0.6%) | 718 (0.7%) | 119 (0.6%) | 486 (0.5%) |
Psychiatric diagnosis | 496 (2.3%) | n/a | 487 (2.3%)* | 5648 (5.2%) | 487 (2.3%)* | 3130 (2.9%) |
Data are mean (SD) for continuous variables and n (%) for categorical variables; all individuals in the matched cohorts were required to have gone through military conscription testing but were not required to have completed military training.
*p<0.001 for comparison with the non-deployed age- and sex-matched comparators or non-deployed carefully matched comparators.
BMI, body mass index; n/a, not applicable.