To help protect soldiers from debilitating heat illness, AFHSB discusses what service members and their families need to know about heat exhaustion and sun safety. www.facebook.com/AFHSCPAGE/

1. Health Surveillance, Analysis, and Insight for Action
D E F E N S E H E A LT H A G E N C Y
ARMED FORCES HEALTH SURVEILLANCE BRANCH
AFHSB
#BeatTheHeat Q&A: Keeping our troops safe
An inside look at heat injury prevention

2. Heat Injury Prevention for U.S. Armed Forces
As temperatures begin to rise, the Armed Forces Health
Surveillance Branch (AFHSB) understands heat-related
injuries are a significant threat to the health and
operational effectiveness of service members. The
information provided will help service members beat the
heat before it beats them.
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3. Protecting our Military
To help protect soldiers from debilitating
heat illness, AFHSB discusses what
service members and their families need
to know about heat exhaustion and sun
safety. Questions about how to stay safe in
extreme heat were submitted by the public
via the AFHSB’s Facebook page. The
Medical Surveillance Monthly Report
(MSMR) looked at these injuries in the
March 2016 (Volume 23, Number 3) issue
to educate individuals about the
importance of heat illness awareness to
protect themselves and others.
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4. What causes Heat Injury?
Heat injury occurs when normal
body temperature is overcome by
factors such as high ambient air
temperature, exercise and the
inability to lose body heat. The
body can lose heat by radiation
and convection when surrounding
air temperature drops lower than
the body temperature. When that
air temperature exceeds the body
temperature, the body absorbs
radiant heat from the air, so the
only way to lose body heat is via
the evaporation of sweat.
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5. Why does excess body heat need to be lost?
 It is important to note physical
exercise generates excess
body heat which needs to be
lost to preserve body
temperature.
 Keep in mind excessive
clothing can interfere with the
body’s ability to lose heat
through radiation, convection,
and sweat evaporation.
 During a heat wave, it is best
to wear lightweight, light-
colored clothing and a wide-
brimmed hat. Dehydration can
also result in reduction or
cessation of sweating.
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#BeatTheHeat

6. Who is at special risk of heat injury?
The risks of heat injury, particularly in association with hot weather and
physical exertion, are higher for individuals who have:
 Not become acclimatized to warm weather
 Are not physically fit
 Are overweight
 And those who are over the age of 40
 Other potential risk factors include a history of previous heat injury,
certain medications, recent alcohol use, and sleep deprivation.
During the most recent three years, incident cases of heat stroke among
military personnel ranged from 322 to 417 per year during a surveillance
period of 2011 to 2015. For “other heat injuries” – that includes heat
exhaustion and “unspecified effects of heat” – the range was 1,680 to 1,933
per year during the five-year surveillance period.
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7. How was heat injury incidents identified among
service members in this report?
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AFHSB’s Defense Medical Surveillance System (DMSS) is a relational database
that documents military and medical experiences of service members
throughout their careers. The records were searched to identify all medical
encounters and notifiable medical event reports that included primary (first-
listed) or secondary (second-listed) diagnoses of heat stroke or “other heat
injury” (heat exhaustion and “unspecified effects of heat”).

8. Who is at the greatest risk for heat injury in the U.S.
military?
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Individuals involved in military duties such as training and operations are at the
most risk for heat injury or recreational activities that include sustained physical
exertion in warm weather. Moreover, the incidence rates of heat stroke were
higher among males than females in the military. Check out the infographic.

9. Is there an age group most at risk of heat injury in
the military?
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Yes. Service members younger than 20 years of age are most at risk of heat
injury. In fact, many young service members, including those in their 20s, are
most likely to participate in vigorous physical activities as part of basic recruit
training, advanced individual training, and other outdoor training for combat
situations.

10. Ready to learn more?
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Read “Get serious about Heat Injury Prevention: A FB Q&A on extreme heat &
sun safety” and check out our #BeatTheHeat Twitter Chat Recap: A Heat Injury
Prevention Guide for Extreme Heat for complete answers on how you can beat
the heat.

11. About the Medical Surveillance Monthly Report
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The Medical Surveillance Monthly Report (MSMR) is a
publication produced by the Armed Forces Health
Surveillance Branch (AFHSB). The MSMR provides evidence-
based estimates of the incidence, distribution, impact and
trends of illness and injuries among U.S. military members
and associated populations. Most reports in the MSMR are
based on summaries of medical administrative data that are
routinely provided to the AFHSB and integrated into the
Defense Medical Surveillance System for health surveillance
purposes. You can subscribe to the MSMR today and follow
us on Twitter to learn more about heat injuries and
prevention tips.

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www.health.mil/afhsb