NAVAL HEALTH RESEARCH CENTER EVALUATING HEALTH EFFECTS OF MILITARY SERVICE: THE MILLENNIUM COHORT STUDY G. Gumbs M. A. K. Ryan for the Millennium Cohort Study Team Report No. 03-27 Approved for public release; distribution unlimited. NAVAL HEALTH RESEARCH CENTER P. O. BOX 85122 SAN DIEGO, CA 92186-5122 BUREAU OF MEDICINE AND SURGERY (M2) 2300 E ST. NW WASHINGTON, DC 20372-5300 Evaluating Health Effects of Military Service: The Millennium Cohort Study Gia Gumbs, MPH CDR Margaret Ryan, MC, USN for the Millennium Cohort Study Team1 DoD Center for Deployment Health Research, Code 25 Naval Health Research Center, P.O. Box 85122 San Diego, CA 92186 1 The Millennium Cohort Study Team includes: COL Paul Amoroso, MC, USA Dr. Edward Boyko Col Gary Gackstetter, USAF, BSC Dr. Gregory Gray Dr. Tomoko Hooper Col James R. Riddle, USAF, BSC and many dedicated professionals atDoD Center for Deployment Health Research The Millennium Cohort Scientific Steering and Advisory Committee includes professionals from the American Legion, Shannon Middleton, and Joe Sharp. Report No. 03-27, supported by the Department of Defense, under work unit no. 60002. The views expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not reflect the official policy or position of the Department of the Navy, the Department of Defense, or the US Government. Approved for public release; distribution unlimited. The project described here is being performed in compliance with all Federal regulations governing the protection of human subjects, under DoD protocol #32227. 2 The Millennium Cohort Study is a project recommended by Congress and sponsored by the Department of Defense. The study will survey and follow nearly 140,000 people during and after their military service, for up to 21 years. That makes it the largest study of its kind in military history. The goal of the Millennium Cohort Study is to evaluate the long-term health effects of military service. Lessons From the Past Soon after Operation Desert Storm ended in 1991, some Gulf War veterans reported unexplained medical symptoms. Many of these veterans attributed their illnesses to deployment- related exposures. At that time, the Department of Defense (DoD) had little systematically collected predeployment health data to compare with postdeployment health assessments, making it difficult to sort out the effects of deployment. It is estimated that more than $3 billion has been spent on research and programs to understand what some people have called “Gulf War illnesses.” After 1991, the DoD and the Institute of Medicine outlined the need for systematically collected, population-based data to evaluate the health of service members throughout their military careers and after leaving the service. The Millennium Cohort Study responds to this need by evaluating longitudinal data on a large cohort of military personnel over a 21-year period. These essential data will help researchers and military leaders determine the health impact of military deployments more completely than in the past. In turn, this better understanding may change deployment policies as well as prevention and treatment programs. 3 Looking to the Future The Millennium Cohort Study has the potential to contribute new and important information to the field of preventive medicine and public health, benefiting both military and civilian populations. Previous cohort studies, including the Framingham Heart Study and the Nurses’ Cohort Study, have expanded our understanding of causes of heart disease and cancer. The Millennium Cohort Study has the potential to uncover unanticipated exposure-disease associations in a relatively young, healthy population. The Millennium Cohort Study will serve as a foundation for other epidemiological studies. While military research teams will manage many of these efforts, civilian research teams are expected to contribute as well. The study’s successful implementation is critical, and its results may resonate in public health for years to come. For more information, visit www.millenniumcohort.org REPORT DOCUMENTATION PAGE The public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 1 hour per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing the burden, to Washington Headquarters Services, Directorate for Information Operations and Reports, 1215 Jefferson Davis Highway, Suite 1204, Arlington, VA 22202-4302, Respondents should be aware that notwithstanding any other provision of law, no person shall be subject to any penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information if it does not display a currently valid OMB Control number. PLEASE DO NOT RETURN YOUR FORM TO THE ABOVE ADDRESS. 1. Report Date (DD MM YY) T 2. Report Type 3. DATES COVERED (from - to) 17 Nov 2003 New 2000-2003 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE 5a. Contract Number: Evaluating Health Effects of Military Service: The Millennium Cohort Study 5b. Grant Number: 5c. Program Element: 6. AUTHORS 5d. Project Number: Gia Gumbs & Margaret AK Ryan for the Millennium Cohort Study Team 5e. Task Number: 5f. Work Unit Number: 60002 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) 5g. IRB Protocol Number: 32227 Naval Health Research Center P.O. Box 85122 San Diego, CA 92186-5122 9. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NUMBER 8. SPONSORING/MONITORING AGENCY NAMES(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) Report No. 03-27 Chief, Bureau of Medicine and Surgery BUMED M2 10. Sponsor/Monitor's Acronyms(s) 2300 E St NW BUMED/DOD Washington DC 20372-5300 11. Sponsor/Monitor's Report Number(s) 12 DISTRIBUTION/AVAILABILITY STATEMENT Approved for public release; distribution unlimited. 13. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES 14. ABSTRACT (maximum 200 words) The Millennium Cohort Study is a project recommended by Congress and sponsored by the Department of Defense. The study will survey and follow nearly 140,000 people during and after their military service, for up to 21 years. That makes it the largest study of its kind in military history. The goal of the Millennium Cohort Study is to evaluate the long-term health effects of military service. 15. SUBJECT TERMS long-term health effects, military service evaluation 16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: 17. LIMITATION 18. NUMBER 19a. NAME OF RESPONSIBLE PERSON OF ABSTRACT OF PAGES Commanding Officer a. REPORT b.ABSTRACT b. THIS PAGE 3 UNCL UNCL UNCL UNCL 19b. TELEPHONE NUMBER (INCLUDING AREA CODE) COMM/DSN: (619) 553-8429 Standard Form 298 (Rev. 8-98) Prescribed by ANSI Std. Z39-18