THE PROBLEM
The Deployment & Travel Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice, and Outcomes Study (KAPOS) is supported by the USU Infectious Disease Clinical Research Program and studies the burden and risk factors for travel-related infectious and noninfectious diseases among deployed and non-deployed travelers. In the context of military epidemiologic surveillance, these illness and injuries are referred to as Disease and Non-Battle Injury (DNBI) and pose a major operational threat to both individual health and operational readiness at the unit level. The Military Health System beneficiary population and the active duty force in particular have important high-risk populations for travel/deployment associated diseases who merit additional study. In particular, these groups include those with high risk occupational specialties and units, foreign-born service members and their families likely to travel to their homes of origin on leave; long-term deployment or permanent duty station in low and low-middle income countries, as well as under-studied groups such women and children. The KAPOS protocol seeks to quantify the burden and distribution of deployment and travel associated disease within the Military Health System and to identify patient and provider side knowledge, attitudes, and practice inputs that affect the burden of disease and may be most suitable for interventions. While this study is not itself an intervention study, it sets the foundation for quality of care and performance improvement initiatives, as well as for longitudinal impact assessments of such interventions.
Meet the study leadership
Patrick Hickey
Alison Helfrich
Infectious Disease Clinical Research Program Deployment and Travel Related Infections
The goal of KAPOS is to inform policy and practice guidelines that will reduce the burden of disease and improve quality of care.