The effect of shower/bath frequency on the health and operational effectiveness of soldiers in a field setting

Technical Report · Thu Jan 31 00:00:00 EST 1991

OSTI ID:5548644

Hall, L C; Daniels, J I

Dermal disease can be a significant cause of morbidity among soldiers in a combat setting. For example, among American combat troops in Vietnam, disability from skin disease was one of the single most important medical causes of man-days lost from combat. Currently, the US Army makes shower or bath facilities available to soldiers in the field on a weekly basis. US Army after-action reports and anecdotal descriptions from the field indicate that this may not be an optimal regimen for the maintenance of personal hygiene, especially with respect to diseases of the skin. Determination of the optimal frequency of showering or bathing for soldiers in an combat setting is complicated by the fact that soldiers in the US Army may be involved in field exercises or combat in many different areas of the world with a variety of climatic conditions. Although certain aspects of the role of environmental factors in the incidence and severity of dermal disease have been documented, the role of hygiene in the potential mitigation of these effects has not been evaluated. The present project entails a comprehensive review and analysis of available literature in order to determine the health impact of shower/bath frequency for soldiers in a combat setting. An integral component of this work is an evaluation of the impact of climate, and microclimate produced by clothing, on the type, frequency, and severity of skin disease. A separate but related area of interest involves evaluating whether the use of antimicrobial soaps or similar products minimize the incidence of skin infections by decreasing populations of disease-causing microorganisms on the skin. 13 refs., 2 figs., 2 tabs.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (USA)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOD; Department of Defense, Washington, DC (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 5548644
• Report Number(s): UCRL-CR-105166-2; ON: DE91014132
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEFENSE
99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS//MATHEMATICS, COMPUTING, AND INFORMATION SCIENCE
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
MICROORGANISMS
HEALTH HAZARDS
MILITARY PERSONNEL
CLEANING
OPERATIONS RESEARCH
WASHING
SKIN
DERMATITIS
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS
BACTERIAL DISEASES
CLOTHING
COST
FUNGAL DISEASES
MILITARY FACILITIES
PROGRESS REPORT
SOAPS
VIRAL DISEASES
ANTI-INFECTIVE AGENTS
BODY
DISEASES
DOCUMENT TYPES
DRUGS
HAZARDS
INFECTIOUS DISEASES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
OTHER ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PERSONNEL
SKIN DISEASES
450000* - Military Technology
Weaponry
& National Defense
570000 - Health & Safety
550700 - Microbiology