Medical and statistical indicators of primary morbidity in service members of the Russian Navy (2017–2023)

BACKGROUND: The professional activities of service members of the Russian Navy, conducted under extreme conditions, may contribute to reduced functional reserves of the body and the development of occupation-related accelerated diseases.

AIM: The work aimed to present the trends and structure of primary morbidity among Russian Navy service members over a 7-year period (2017–2023).

METHODS: Reports on morbidity in Form 3/MED were analyzed. Data on diseases and injuries sustained by service members participating in the special military operation were excluded. Given recent changes in the nomenclature of nosologies and classification categories, the data in the reports were examined for the period from 2017 to 2023. Nosologies were grouped by disease classes and leading nosologies according to the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, 10th Revision (ICD-10). Morbidity rates were calculated per 1,000 service members (‰). Statistical processing was performed using Microsoft Excel 2007. Arithmetic means and standard errors (M ± m) are presented.

RESULTS: The primary morbidity rates in the Russian Navy were lower than those for the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation overall. The average annual rate was 565.47±16.41‰, accounting for approximately 11.0% of the total primary morbidity in the Armed Forces. The leading cause of primary morbidity was respiratory diseases (class X) with an average annual rate of 298.53±11.54‰, representing 52.7% of the structure. Diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue (class XIII; 61.12±3.07‰; 10.8%) ranked second, and diseases of the skin and subcutaneous tissue (class XII; 41.60±3.63‰; 7.3%) ranked third. Together, these classes accounted for 70.8% of the morbidity distribution. 30 leading nosologies (groups) were identified, accounting for 65.5% of the morbidity distribution.

CONCLUSION: The calculated indicators may serve as reference values for organizing preventive measures in the Navy. Prevention, early detection of diseases in the leading classes and nosologies, as well as appropriate treatment and rehabilitation, may significantly reduce morbidity among Russian Navy service members.