Optimizing the utility of military injury surveillance systems: A qualitative study within the Australian Defence Force

Injury prevention guided by robust injury surveillance systems (ISS's) can effectively reduce military injury rates, but ISS's depend on human interaction. This study examined experiences and requirements of key users of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) ISS to determine whether the operation of the ISS was optimal, whether there were any shortcomings, and if so, how these shortcomings might be addressed. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 18 Australian Defence Department participants located throughout Australia. Grounded theory methods were used to analyze data by developing an understanding of processes and social phenomena related to injury surveillance systems within the military context. Interviews were recorded and professionally transcribed and information contained in the transcripts was analyzed using NVivo. Key themes relating to the components of an injury surveillance system were identified from the analysis. A range of processes and sociocultural factors influence the utility of military ISS's. These are discussed in detail and should be considered in the future design and operation of military ISS's to facilitate optimal outcomes for injury prevention. Reprint &