Casualty rates among Danish soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan. 2012

H O Jørgensen, and K Heier-Madsen, and J E Stokkebye
Policy, Plans and Advisory Division, Danish Armed Forces Health Services,Roskilde, Denmark. hoj@fsumil.dk

In 2002 - 2009 Danish forces suffered a mortality rate of 0.09% in Iraq and 0.38% in Afghanistan, and a morbidity rate of 0.30% in Iraq and 1.01% in Afghanistan, as a result of weapons effects. In Afghanistan the survival rate is 97.0% for Danish wounded who were alive on arrival at UK R3 Hospital. British data from Afghanistan are compared to the Danish figures and there is no significant difference. We found an increase in injuries and deaths caused by mines/IEDs from 33% in 2006 to 72.7% in 2009 of all weapon effects causes. The more offensive war fighting posture of the Danish forces in Afghanistan has resulted in greater numbers of casualties. The study also indicates that the great majority of fatalities occur almost immediately at the point of injury. Most of the wounded survive, and a large of number of them are only lightly injured with a partial incapacity level of less than five percent. Haemostatic's and active employment of tourniquets, improved first aid training and training of medics, better evacuation methods including optimised in-flight diagnostics and treatment (including blood transfusion) by Medical Emergency Response Teams, Damage Control Surgery as well as access to quicker diagnostic methods have increased survivability.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008889 Military Personnel Persons including soldiers involved with the armed forces. Air Force Personnel,Armed Forces Personnel,Army Personnel,Coast Guard,Marines,Navy Personnel,Sailors,Soldiers,Submariners,Military,Force Personnel, Air,Personnel, Air Force,Personnel, Armed Forces,Personnel, Army,Personnel, Military,Personnel, Navy,Sailor,Soldier,Submariner
D011482 Protective Devices Devices designed to provide protection against injury. Safety Devices,Device, Protective,Device, Safety,Devices, Protective,Devices, Safety,Protective Device,Safety Device
D003718 Denmark A country in northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and the North Sea. The capital is Copenhagen. Faeroe Islands,Faroe Islands
D006233 Disabled Persons Persons with physical or mental disabilities that affect or limit their activities of daily living and that may require special accommodations. Handicapped,People with Disabilities,Persons with Disabilities,Physically Challenged,Physically Handicapped,Physically Disabled,Disabilities, People with,Disabilities, Persons with,Disability, Persons with,Disabled Person,Disabled, Physically,Handicapped, Physically,People with Disability,Person, Disabled,Persons with Disability,Persons, Disabled
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000673 Amputation, Traumatic Loss of a limb or other bodily appendage by accidental injury. Amputations, Traumatic,Traumatic Amputation,Traumatic Amputations
D014947 Wounds and Injuries Damage inflicted on the body as the direct or indirect result of an external force, with or without disruption of structural continuity. Injuries,Physical Trauma,Trauma,Injuries and Wounds,Injuries, Wounds,Research-Related Injuries,Wounds,Wounds and Injury,Wounds, Injury,Injury,Injury and Wounds,Injury, Research-Related,Physical Traumas,Research Related Injuries,Research-Related Injury,Trauma, Physical,Traumas,Wound
D054542 Iraq War, 2003-2011 An armed intervention involving multi-national forces in the country of IRAQ. OIF OND,Operation Iraqi Freedom,Operation New Dawn,2003-2011 Iraq Wars,Dawn, Operation New,Freedom, Operation Iraqi,Iraq War, 2003 2011,Iraq Wars, 2003-2011,Iraqi Freedom, Operation,New Dawn, Operation,Operation New Dawns
D055826 Afghan Campaign 2001- Multinational coalition military operation initiated in October 2001 to counter terrorism and bring security to AFGHANISTAN in collaboration with Afghan forces. Afghan War, 2001-,Operation Enduring Freedom,2001- Afghan War,2001- Afghan Wars,Afghan War, 2001,Afghan Wars, 2001-,Operation Enduring Freedoms,War, 2001- Afghan,Wars, 2001- Afghan

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