Publication:Sea Talk Winter 2008/Senior US investigator to speak of long term effects of war
By Graham Davis
The chief investigator in a study to evaluate the long term effects of war on US military personnel is coming to Australia to speak about the study and its findings so far.
He is Dr Tyler C. Smith from the US’s Department of Defense Center for Deployment Health Research and the principal investigator for the Millenium Cohort Study.
He is based at the Naval Health Research Center in San Diego.
Dr Smith is the keynote speaker at the 17th Australian Military Medicine Association conference be held at the Wrest Point convention centre in Hobart from October 17 to 19.
The Millenium Cohort Study, on which Dr Smith is to speak, is designed to evaluate the long term health effects of military service, including deployments, have on defence members.
The US Department of Defense recognized after the 1991 Gulf War that there was a need to gather more data about the long term health of service personnel.
The Millenium Cohort Study, said to be the largest prospective health study in military history, was launched in 2001.
It is funded by the US Defense Department and is supported by the military, US Department of Veterans Affairs and civilian researchers.
Nearly 110,000 personnel are already participating.
As force health protection continues to be a US Defense priority, the study will be provide information critical to enhancing the long term health of future members.
Dr Smith is just one of a number of impressive overseas and local health professionals already on the speaking roster.
However, the organisers want more people to come forward to speak and now invite potential delegates to submit abstracts and register for the conference.
Submission of abstracts and registration can be made online at the AMMA website - http://www.amma.asn.au/amma2008/index.php.
The website also includes information on accommodation, social events, pre and post conference local tours, conference sponsorship and other information.
When all abstracts have been received and the program finalized it will be posted on the site.
