Annotations

J.  Research Deployment Health Issues

OBJECTIVE

Enhance the clinician's knowledge regarding deployment health issues.

ANNOTATION

Often when evaluating patients with deployment related health concerns, the patient initially knows more about deployment specific exposure than the clinicians. Before proceeding further, the clinician should obtain a clear understanding of the possible risk factors and range of agents the patient may have been exposed to. The clinician should thoroughly research the patient's deployment related health concerns and identify known risks and exposures for a particular deployment. A follow-up appointment provides the clinician with time to research relevant information before discussing it with the patient.

A vast amount of this information is available at various governmental and non-governmental sources. The Deployment Health Resource Web site will provide links to these sources and other information about potential exposures, immunizations, endemic diseases, and other related information. This site will include information from civilian publications and provide links to other data sources that could provide additional information to the clinician and patient. See the Deployment Health Resource Web site at www.pdhealth.mil.