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The Division of E&A performs comprehensive surveillance and analysis of health related information regarding military service members and military-associated populations. The Division leverages the two major resources maintained by the Data Management and Technical Support (DMTS) Division, namely, the Defense Medical Surveillance System (DMSS) and the DoD Serum Repository (DoDSR). By permission, the Division may sometimes use other data resources such as theater evacuations (TRAC²ES), theater medical encounters (TMDS), pharmacy transactions (PDTS), and HL7 laboratory data that are not available in DMSS.

Requests for information, analyses, and research support reach E&A via several different routes, the most common of which is through military service liaisons stationed at AFHSC. Each surveillance request is evaluated for such factors as military relevance, status as public health research versus public health practice, scientific integrity, and feasibility. The Division incorporates expertise in data-analytic techniques and scientific method required to address the wide range of requests it receives.

The Division conducts extensive analyses of baseline rates and trends on health related conditions among all five Services of the Armed Forces. Efforts have included detailed tracking of Service members' health status, prior to and after deployment, vaccine safety, immunization rates, acute respiratory diseases, and sero-epidemiologic surveillance in support of clinical care.

For the year 2010, the Division produced 46 unique regular reports that were released daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, or semiannually, for a total of 1,438 reports for the year. Among these routine periodic reports were the DoD Installation Injury Report, which features injury rates specific to each military base, and the DoD Lost Duty Time Application that includes counts and rates of health events and their associated lost military workdays.

In 2010, the Division delivered 550 ad hoc surveillance and research support studies, including those released via Medical Surveillance Monthly Report (MSMR), peer-reviewed publications, professional posters, and presentations. Other analyses were delivered to OASD (HA) to support policy decisions, address congressional and media inquiries, and provide metrics for the Strategic Dashboard and for the QA Program. The individual services and COCOMS frequently have operationally related requests.

Surveillance reports and studies provided to the military community have included an analysis of health outcomes following exposure to Joint Base Balad's burning of solid waste, an analysis of risks associated with medical evacuations from Iraq and Afghanistan, and a vaccine effectiveness analysis of the monovalent H1N1 vaccine.

As a result of these and other efforts, estimates of operational impact, disease burden, and program effectiveness can be determined. When provided to key DoD and Coast Guard decision makers, these products guide implementation and improvement of valuable, evidence based force health protection measures.

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