Health outcomes and medical response during a military deployment in Iraq: a prospective observational study of morbidity, treatments, and evacuations
Keywords:
Military personnel, Military medicine, Morbidity, Patient evacuation, Iraq, Military deployment, Role 1, Disease and non-battle injury (DNBI), Medical support, Forward surgical team, TelemedicineAbstract
BACKGROUND: Overseas military deployment poses a significant healthcare challenge, requiring the prevention of morbidity associated with physical strain and the environment, as well as the provision of effective medical care to ensure operational continuity in operations.
OBJECTIVES: To describe and analyze the medical care activity during the deployment of the Spanish contingent from the General Command of Ceuta at the Union III base (Baghdad) and to evaluate the recorded morbidity, applied treatments, and the need for medical evacuation.
STUDY DESIGN AND SETTINGS: A prospective, observational, and analytical study was conducted during the deployment between May and November 2025 at the Union III military base in Baghdad.
METHODS: All medical encounters recorded by the deployed medical services were included. Demographic and clinical variables as well as the applied treatment, need for follow-up, and evacuation, were analyzed. Statistical analysis included descriptive statistics and association tests, with a p value < 0.05 considered significant.
RESULTS: In total, 506 medical encounters were recorded. Traumatic injuries were the most frequent reason for consultation (25.7%), followed by infectious (20.9%) and digestive (17.2%) conditions. Most cases were resolved at Role 1 level, with a low evacuation rate (3.4%) and a high degree of local resolution.
CONCLUSIONS: The deployed medical support demonstrated a high resolutive capacity, with a predominance of non-combat-related pathologies and a low need for evacuation. These results highlight the importance of maintaining effective medical structures and reinforcing preventive measures to reduce morbidity during future deployments.
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