Current situation and influencing factors of heatstroke in officers and soldiers from Southern Theater Command from 2017 to 2018

• Main Authors: LIU Lebin, YAN Huacheng, ZHOU Zhijian, ZHAN Xianfeng, LIU Wenyi
• Format: Article
• Language: zho
• Published: Editorial Office of Journal of Third Military Medical University 2019-09-01
• Series: Di-san junyi daxue xuebao
• Subjects: southern theater command; military personnel; heatstroke; surveys and questionnaires; influencing factor
• Online Access: http://aammt.tmmu.edu.cn/Upload/rhtml/201904090.htm
• ISSN: 1000-5404

Objective To investigate the current situation of heatstroke among the officers and soldiers in Southern Theatre Command from 2017 to 2018, and to analyze the possible influencing factors. Methods A total of 1 699 officers and soldiers were subjected by random cluster sampling from 23 units of 5 military categories, including Army, Navy, Air Force, Joint Logistics Support Force and Rocket Army. The current situation and influencing factors of heatstroke in them were analyzed by means of questionnaire and case study. Results In the past year, 138 officers and soldiers (8.1%) had heatstroke, and the incidence of heatstroke in each military service ranked from high to low as Navy (11.2%), Army (10.1%), Joint Logistics Support Force (7.3%), Rocket Army (5.1%) and Air Force (4.2%), with significant differences among among different military services (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). According to the different military specialties, the top 3 specialties experiencing heatstroke were armored units (22.4%), surface warships (15.8%) and artillery (10.7%), and significant difference was seen among different military specialties (P < 0.01). The most common onset time of heatstroke was during June and August, and the most prone training subject was 5 km off-road. The results of the comparison study showed that the ratios of female, married and drinkers were significantly higher in those with heatstroke than those without (P < 0.05). Obvious differences were also seen in sleep quality, dietary status, average daily physical work time, frequency of fatigue training, training when avoiding the heat and the knowledge related to heatstroke between the 2 groups (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). Conclusion The incidence of heatstroke in the officers and soldiers of Southern Theatre Command is relatively high from 2017 to 2018. Sleep quality, dietary status, average daily physical work time, frequency of fatigue training, training when avoiding the heat and knowledge related to heatstroke may be factors influencing the occurrence of heatstroke in them.