Millennium Cohort Study (United States)

The Millennium Cohort Study is an ongoing longitudinal cohort study designed to evaluate any long-term health effects of military service, including deployments.^[1] It is the largest population-based prospective health project in US military history,^[2][3][4] currently collecting data on over 150,000 enrolled participants. Investigators that conduct the Millennium Cohort Study include uniformed and non-uniformed scientists from the Army,^[5] Navy,^[6] Air Force,^[7] Department of Veterans Affairs,^[8] and academic institutions.^[9][10]

The Millennium Cohort Study logo

Origin

After the 1991 Gulf War, the United States Department of Defense recognized the need to collect prospective exposure and health information that may be associated with the long-term health of service members.^[11][12] The Millennium Cohort Study was designed to address that need. Pilot studies were conducted in 2000; by mid 2001, the Millennium Cohort Study's first enrollment period was launched, collecting baseline data from over 77,000 people.

Overview

Funded by the US Department of Defense,^[13] and supported by military, United States Department of Veterans Affairs, and civilian researchers, over 150,000 military personnel are members of the cohort. The Millennium Cohort Study began with a random sample of US Military members including active duty, Reserve, and National Guard members from all services. Surveys are sent to this representative sample of US military personnel every three years through email and the United States Postal Service, requesting that they submit their data online or via the mail service. Approximately 25% of Millennium Cohort participants have left military service and the study will continue to follow all participants through their Active duty, Reserve, National Guard careers and civilian endeavors.

Research

Prospective data analyses are underway to assess health outcomes including Posttraumatic stress disorder,^[14][15] depression,^[16] hypertension, respiratory symptoms and illness,^[17] immune responses, chronic multi-symptom illness, CHD and CVD, and modifiable health behaviors such as smoking, alcohol use^[18] sleep,^[19] and physical activity that may be associated with deployment in support of the current wars.^[20] Currently, more than 50% of Millennium Cohort participants have deployed in support of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Expansion

In 2011 the Millennium Cohort Study was expanded to include 10,000 spouses of Millennium Cohort members. The sub study, The Millennium Cohort Family Study's ^[21][22] goal is to gain a more complete understanding of the military experience and its resultant impact on the health and well-being of service members and their families.

References

1. ^ Margaret A.K. Ryan, Tyler C. Smith, Besa Smith, Paul Amoroso, Edward J. Boyko, Gregory C. Gray, Gary D. Gackstetter, James R. Riddle, Timothy S. Wells, Gia Gumbs, Thomas E. Corbeil, Tomoko I. Hooper (2000). Millennium Cohort: enrollment begins a 21-year contribution to understanding the impact of military service. 60. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology. pp. 181=191. http://dodreports.com/pdf/ada519306.pdf. 
2. ^ Naval Health Research Center (2011-07-14). "NHRC Launches Next Survey Cycle of Largest DoD Population-Based Military Health Study". DCMilitary.com. http://www.dcmilitary.com/article/20110714/NEWS11/707149949/nhrc-launches-next-survey-cycle-of-largest-dod-population-based. 
3. ^ Naval Health Research Center (2011-07-19). "The Largest DoD Population-Based Military Health Study Launched Next Survey Cycle, Hopes to Enroll Military Members and Spouses". Naval Health Research Center. http://www.med.navy.mil/sites/nmrc/documents/NHRC_Press_Release_MilCo_13Jun11.pdf. 
4. ^ Dr. Michel E. Kilpatrick (2010-04). "What We Can Learn in 21 Years". Usmedicine.com. [Archived by WebCite® at http://www.webcitation.org/60feOHCJO Archived] from the original on 2011-08-03. http://www.usmedicine.com/articles/what-we-can-learn-in-21-years.html. Retrieved 2011-08-01. 
5. ^ Military Operational Medicine Research Program(MOMRP) (2003-03-26). "Gulf War Illnesses Research Program (GWIRP)". Momrp.amedd.army.mil. https://momrp.amedd.army.mil/gulf_war_index.html. Retrieved 2011-08-01. 
6. ^ Naval Health Research Center (1999-09-30). "Department 164". Med.navy.mil. http://www.med.navy.mil/sites/nhrc/Pages/Department164.aspx. Retrieved 2011-08-01. 
7. ^ Navy Lt. Jennifer Cragg (2008-05-16). "Military medical advancements benefit civilian health care". Af.mil. http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?storyID=123099100. Retrieved 2011-08-01. 
8. ^ U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (2010-04-01). "VA, DoD Teaming Up to Track Health of Military Forces". Research.va.gov. http://www.research.va.gov/news/research_highlights/va-dod020104.cfm. Retrieved 2011-08-01. 
9. ^ The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc. (2008). "2008 Annual Report - Millennium Cohort Study". Hjf.org. http://www.hjf.org/annual-report/inn-nhrc.html. Retrieved 2011-08-01. 
10. ^ National Cancer Institute (2010-07-08). "Cohort Consortium Members - EGRP". Epi.grants.cancer.gov. http://epi.grants.cancer.gov/Consortia/members/millenium.html. Retrieved 2011-08-01. 
11. ^ Lyla M. Hernandez, Jane S. Durch, Dan G. Blazer II, and Isabel V. Hoverman, Editors; Committee on Measuring the Health of Gulf War Veterans, Institute of Medicine (1999). "Gulf War Veterans: Measuring Health". Nap.edu. http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=9636&page=R3. Retrieved 2011-08-01. 
12. ^ Office of the Special Assistant for Gulf War Illnesses, Medical Readiness, and Military Deployments (1998-11-11). "Lessons Learned And Recent Initiatives". Gulflink.osd.mil. http://www.gulflink.osd.mil/medical/mvhcb_s08.htm. Retrieved 2011-08-01. 
13. ^ Force Health Protection & Readiness (2008-05-21). "The Millennium Cohort Study Offers the First Comprehensive Review of Career-Span Military Health". Fhp.osd.mil. http://fhp.osd.mil/new.jsp?newsID=35. Retrieved 2011-08-01. 
14. ^ Cynthia A LeardMann, senior biostatistician, Tyler C Smith, director, Besa Smith, senior epidemiologist/biostatistician, Timothy S Wells, medical chief epidemiologist, and Margaret A K Ryan, occupational and preventive medicine physician, for the Millennium Cohort Study Team (2008-12-19). Baseline self reported functional health and vulnerability to post-traumatic stress disorder after combat deployment: prospective US military cohort study. doi:10.1136/bmj.b1273. PMC 2671472. PMID 19372117. http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?tool=pmcentrez&artid=2671472. 
15. ^ U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (2007-11-25). New onset and persistent symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder self reported after deployment and combat exposures: prospective population based US military cohort study. doi:10.1136/bmj.39430.638241.AE. PMC 2244768. PMID 18198395. http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?tool=pmcentrez&artid=2244768. 
16. ^ Tyler C. Smith, MS, PhD, Deborah L. Wingard, PhD, Margaret A.K. Ryan, MD, MPH, Donna Kritz-Silverstein, PhD, Donald J. Slymen, PhD, and James F. Sallis, PhD, for the Millennium Cohort Study Team (2009-01). PTSD Prevalence, Associated Exposures, and Functional Health Outcomes in a Large, Population-Based Military Cohort. Association of Schools of Public Health. PMC 2602934. PMID 19413031. http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?tool=pmcentrez&artid=2602934. 
17. ^ David Loebsack (2010-02-10). "Respiratory Conditions Investigated Among the Deployed". Military Health System. http://www.health.mil/News_And_Multimedia/News/detail/10-02-10/Respiratory_Conditions_Investigated_Among_the_Deployed.aspx. 
18. ^ Isabel G. Jacobson, MPH, Margaret A. K. Ryan, MD, MPH, Tomoko I. Hooper, MD, MPH, Tyler C. Smith, PhD, MS, Paul J. Amoroso, MD, MPH, Edward J. Boyko, MD, MPH, Gary D. Gackstetter, DVM, PhD, MPH, Timothy S. Wells, DVM, PhD, MPH, and Nicole S. Bell, ScD, MPH (2008-08-13). Alcohol Use and Alcohol-Related Problems Before and After Military Combat Deployment. 300. Journal of American Medicine Association. pp. 663–675. doi:10.1001/jama.300.6.663. http://jama.ama-assn.org/content/300/6/663.long. 
19. ^ Amber D. Seelig, MPH, Isabel G. Jacobson, MPH, Besa Smith, MPH, PhD, Tomoko I. Hooper, MD, MPH, Edward J. Boyko, MD, MPH, Gary D. Gackstetter, DVM, MPH, PhD, Philip Gehrman, PhD, CBSM, Carol A. Macera, MS, PhD, Tyler C. Smith, MS, PhD, for the Millennium Cohort Study Team (2010-12-01). Sleep Patterns Before, During, and After Deployment to Iraq and Afghanistan. 33. 2010 Associated Professional Sleep Societies, LLC.. pp. 1615–1622. PMC 2982731. PMID 21120123. http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?tool=pmcentrez&artid=2982731. 
20. ^ Molly L Kelton, Cynthia A LeardMann, Besa Smith, Edward J Boyko, Tomoko I Hooper, Gary D Gackstetter, Paul D Bliese, Charles W Hoge, and Tyler C Smith, for the Millennium Cohort Study Team (2010-10-15). Exploratory factor analysis of self-reported symptoms in a large, population-based military cohort. 10. Kelton et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.. p. 94. doi:10.1186/1471-2288-10-94. PMC 2967557. PMID 20950474. http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?tool=pmcentrez&artid=2967557. 
21. ^ Matt Pueschel (2010-12-29). "Millennium Cohort Study Expanding To Include Spouses of Service Members". Fhp.osd.mil. http://fhp.osd.mil/new.jsp?newsID=191. Retrieved 2011-08-01. 
22. ^ Matt Pueschel (2010-03-22). "Millennium Cohort Study to Include Spouses". Fhp.osd.mil. http://www.health.mil/News_And_Multimedia/News/detail/10-03-22/Millennium_Cohort_Study_to_Include_Spouses.aspx. Retrieved 2011-08-01. 

Further reading

• Riddle, J; Smith, T; Smith, B; Corbeil, T; Engel, C; Wells, T; Hoge, C; Adkins, J et al. (2007). "Millennium Cohort: The 2001–2003 baseline prevalence of mental disorders in the U.S. Military". Journal of Clinical Epidemiology 60 (2): 192–201. doi:10.1016/j.jclinepi.2006.04.008. PMID 17208126. 
• Smith, Tyler C; Zamorski, Mark; Smith, Besa; Riddle, James R; Leardmann, Cynthia A; Wells, Timothy S; Engel, Charles C; Hoge, Charles W et al. (2007). "The physical and mental health of a large military cohort: Baseline functional health status of the Millennium Cohort". BMC Public Health 7: 340. doi:10.1186/1471-2458-7-340. PMC 2212642. PMID 18039387. http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?tool=pmcentrez&artid=2212642. 
• Smith, T. C; Ryan, M. A K; Wingard, D. L; Slymen, D. J; Sallis, J. F; Kritz-Silverstein, D.; Millennium Cohort Study, Team (2008). "New onset and persistent symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder self reported after deployment and combat exposures: Prospective population based US military cohort study". BMJ 336 (7640): 366–71. doi:10.1136/bmj.39430.638241.AE. PMC 2244768. PMID 18198395. http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?tool=pmcentrez&artid=2244768. 

External links

• Official Millennium Cohort Study website
• Millennium Cohort Endorsements