II. Demographic Variables and Illness Onset in an Attack Carrier’s Crew

Abstract

Approximately one third of the enlisted crew of an attack carrier (N = 738) was studied during a six-month deployment to Vietnam. Questionnaires about personal background and military status were given at the beginning of the cruise, and the illnesses developed by these men during the cruise were tabulated. This paper discusses the relationship of 16 demographic variables to illness onset: job specialty, pay grade, age, race, religion, birth region, marital status, number of dependents, education, intelligence level, parents’ status (living or deceased), birth order, father’s occupation, father’s education, socioeconomic status, and active duty status (regular vs reserve).

On the basis of analyses of variance, the following demographic variables were found to have a significant overall relationship to illness incidence: job specialty, age, pay grade, race, birthplace, and number of dependents. The remaining ten variables were statistically unrelated to illness incidence. Relatively high illness rates occurred in younger, nonrated seamen, especially those in the Fireman/Fireman Apprentice category who worked on the ship’s engines. Relatively high illness rates also occurred in Negro and American Indian sailors.