Epidemiologic Analysis of Warfare

Abstract

Although warfare is thought to be responsible for high and increasing levels of morbidity and mortality in the modern era, little comparative epidemiologic research is available on the subject. Most research on past wars has been carried out for purposes of military planning. The present report provides an overview of the direct health impacts of various wars on military and civilian populations during the last 200 years. Risk factors for injury and death are analyzed. Changes in weaponry, military strategy, and medical services are found to modify the health effects of warfare.

Allocating scarce medical resources during armed conflict: ethical issues

“…During World War One, it was estimated that 800,000 civilians died from a combination of material deprivation crowding and breakdowns in sanitary systems, and shortages of medical care. These deprivations, moreover, had long term effects on mortality for the survivors of war [8].…”

It’s not your grandfather’s field plasma

“…3 The comfortable explanation was that unsalvageable patients who would have died in the field in previous wars were now reaching a care center. A plausible alternative is that potentially salvageable patients were more likely to bleed from dilutive coagulopathy, despite frequent use of fresh-drawn whole blood.…”

Amputation as a result of war injuries and terrorist attacks

“…Çün-kü tüfek mermisinin, multipl şarapnel parçalarının, anti-personel mayının yüksek enerjili politravmatik etkisi organ, kemik ve yumuşak dokularda ileri derece tahribat yaratmaktadır (1) .…”