# Study, Leading Causes of CF Death:  Veh Crashes, Tumours, Suicide, CV Disease



## The Bread Guy (12 Apr 2010)

Part of me thought this might go better in the Mental Health thread, but the study covers more than just that - mod squad, feel free to shift as you see fit.

This, from the _National Post_:


> Suicide was the third leading cause of Canadian military deaths after motor vehicle accidents and cancer in a newly published study of 25 years of death records.
> 
> Even though the jury is out on whether suicide prevention programs work, Lt.-Col. Homer Tien, a trauma surgeon and the lead author of the study, says the military must do its best to try to prevent suicide, alcohol abuse and smoking.
> 
> ...



Full study attached (9pg PDF)


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## daftandbarmy (12 Apr 2010)

This is worrying… I think I’ll have a bottle of scotch and a pack of fags while cleaning my guns at home tonight….  :camo:


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## the 48th regulator (12 Apr 2010)

How does Tien factor those that commit suicide by Driving their Vehicle into a concrete Bridge, or a large tree, numbing the senses by getting boozed up beforehand.  Better to die by "accident" as opposed to looking week by killing oneself.

Try as we may, these types of statistics are way to hard to gather.....

Be proactive, instead of reactive.

dileas

tess


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## vonGarvin (12 Apr 2010)

How does the CF fare to the general population of a similar age group?  Not to "wish away" the problem by saying "we're not as bad as 'x'", but instead, it could be an indicator of how well (or not) we are doing at preventing this stuff from happening, and then learning from it, and getting better.


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## George Wallace (12 Apr 2010)

The thing that I can't get over is that the CF keeps records and statistics on all of these things.  Other organizations don't.  We have stats as to how many members have chronic drinking problems.  Does GM or Ford have any?  Do they count the number of workers who drink on the line, or head into the tavern after their shift is over?  I think not.  Does the CIBC keep records on their Tellers health problems?  I doubt it.  On a whole the CF keeps fairly accurate records of its personnel and their health, physical and mental; but to compare the stats from the CF to the National Average may be stretching the point some.  How accurate are the stats for the National Average?  Who compiled them?  Did they record each and every citizen or just a sample population?

I always roll my eyes when I see any stats comparing the CF to the National population.  The numbers are always skewed.


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## the 48th regulator (12 Apr 2010)

Technoviking said:
			
		

> How does the CF fare to the general population of a similar age group?  Not to "wish away" the problem by saying "we're not as bad as 'x'", but instead, it could be an indicator of how well (or not) we are doing at preventing this stuff from happening, and then learning from it, and getting better.



Another hard study.

You would have to compare statistic of People of the same criteria, which would not only include age, but health (Both physical and mental) and lifestyle, considering we have a criteria to enter the military for those factors.

Again, we forget the unique group that Soldiers are in, and this helps to promote the misunderstanding.

The military Population, is supposed to be healthier, than compared to the general Populace, due to the screening of acceptance.  

dileas

tess


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## Armymedic (12 Apr 2010)

Read the study, not just the newspaper article.


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## the 48th regulator (12 Apr 2010)

SFB said:
			
		

> Read the study, not just the newspaper article.




Ouch,

I fell into my own web.

Thank you for that brother.

dileas

tess


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## Armymedic (13 Apr 2010)

Considering Dr Sanjay Acharya spent 3x 40 mins periods teaching us how to read and interpret those damn medical articles, it was the least I could do.



Just to give context, this study will lead to the answers you guys are asking above. Without the hard numbers you see in the study, one can not reasonably compare the CF % of CoD vs the population's.

Think of it as the first step. Not the final answers.


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## Gunner98 (13 Apr 2010)

Considering I just spent 12 weeks studying Epidemiology and Population Health as part of my Masters of Health Admin, I can safely make two deductions:

1.  Everyone dies, eventually.

2.  Perhaps there is a correlation between being in the military and their premature deaths.

That is the best I can do.

The Surg Gen's office holds a copy of everyone's medical file (soon all will be electronic).  In the military your medical information is not only your business.


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