Name
#17 Impact of Dorsalgia on Early Adverse Attrition in Military Service - A Stratified Analysis by Service Branch and Sex
Speakers
Content Presented On Behalf Of:
DHA
Session Type
Poster
Date
Tuesday, March 3, 2026
Start Time
5:00 PM
End Time
7:00 PM
Location
Prince Georges Expo Hall E
Focus Areas/Topics
Clinical Care
Learning Outcomes
1. Understand the Impact of Dorsalgia on Military Readiness
Analyze the prevalence, occupational risk factors, and progression of dorsalgia (ICD-10-CM code M54) in military populations, and its contribution to early adverse attrition (EAA) and operational non-deployability.
2. Evaluate Attrition Outcomes Among Waivered Service Members
Compare EAA rates between active duty enlistees accessed via an approved dorsalgia medical waiver and demographically matched medically qualified (MQ) cohorts using survival analysis methods.
3. Assess Risk Factors and Disability Discharge Associations
Identify significant associations between dorsalgia-related waivers and disability discharge outcomes, incorporating comorbidities and occupational stressors as potential contributors to attrition.
4. Inform Policy Optimization for Medical Standards
Utilize findings to justify and inform modifications to DoD medical standards, ensuring a balance between recruitment needs and long-term health outcomes for service members with dorsalgia.
Analyze the prevalence, occupational risk factors, and progression of dorsalgia (ICD-10-CM code M54) in military populations, and its contribution to early adverse attrition (EAA) and operational non-deployability.
2. Evaluate Attrition Outcomes Among Waivered Service Members
Compare EAA rates between active duty enlistees accessed via an approved dorsalgia medical waiver and demographically matched medically qualified (MQ) cohorts using survival analysis methods.
3. Assess Risk Factors and Disability Discharge Associations
Identify significant associations between dorsalgia-related waivers and disability discharge outcomes, incorporating comorbidities and occupational stressors as potential contributors to attrition.
4. Inform Policy Optimization for Medical Standards
Utilize findings to justify and inform modifications to DoD medical standards, ensuring a balance between recruitment needs and long-term health outcomes for service members with dorsalgia.
Session Currently Live
Description
Dorsalgia, classified under ICD-10-CM code M54, represents a significant public health concern in military populations due to its high prevalence, occupational etiology, and contribution to disability and loss of readiness. Disorders of the back, including dorsalgia, are among the top contributors to morbidity in the active component of the U.S. Armed Forces, accounting for substantial outpatient encounters, limited duty episodes, and non-deployability cases (Armed Forces Health Surveillance Division, 2023). The physical demands of military service, including prolonged load carriage, repetitive strain, and high-risk occupational roles, amplify the likelihood of dorsalgia and its progression to chronic pain, which can undermine operational readiness and lead to early adverse attrition (EAA). Furthermore, comorbid mental health conditions such as PTSD and depression often exacerbate the chronicity and functional limitations associated with dorsalgia (Polston et al., 2010). To address these challenges, the Medical Standards Analytics and Research (MSAR) team is leveraging computational resources to analyze DoD electronic health and personnel records. This study examines EAA among active duty enlistees accessed between FY 2019-2023 via an approved dorsalgia medical waiver across all services separately. Comparison is made to demographically matched cohorts of medically qualified (MQ) enlistees. The waived
cohort includes individuals diagnosed with dorsalgia (M54), a condition that frequently evolves into chronic pain and contributes to medical separation and disability claims. EAA is assessed over 1 year and 3 years using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, with sub-analysis of disability discharge conducted using chi-square or analogous non-parametric tests to evaluate significance of associations and relative risk. Gender differences also were assessed by stratifying results into male vs female. Results are currently not yet available as this study is on-going. Findings from this research aim to inform medical standards and readiness policies, ensuring a balance between recruitment needs and long-term health outcomes for service members.