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Erfassung und Bewertung besonderer Gesundheitsrisiken von Bundeswehrsoldaten in Afghanistan anhand der Medical-Evacuation-Flüge

Objective: This article presents the documentation and description of specific health risks for German army soldiers in Afghanistan, summarized from the Medical Evacuation (MedEvac) records. Methods: The data from Medical Evacuation flights of German soldiers from 16. 01. 2002 until 21. 05. 2005 are described in a secondary data analysis. Results: During the time-frame given above, a total of 2 % (n = 309) of the German soldiers based in Afghanistan (n = 15 750) were flown back to Germany for medical reasons. 60 % of these soldiers were between 20 and 29 years of age. The most frequent diagnoses were in the areas of trauma surgery (30.7 %), psychiatry (20.1 %) and internal medicine (15.2 %). Common diseases and non-battle injuries were five times more frequent than battle injuries. An excess of repatriations due to typical local diseases, such as malaria or leishmaniasis, was not observed. Conclusion: On the basis of the data summarized in the Medical Evacuation records, and in the registration and documentation system for health data used in the German army, a comprehensive estimation of the true health risks of German soldiers based in Afghanistan is not possible. Appropriate changes are strongly advised.