Chapter 3 - Health
                                         
Table 3.4 Deaths in the UK Regular Armed Forces: by year of occurrence and cause1, standardised                      mortality ratio2, 1999-2008
Throughout the last ten years, the UK Regular Armed Forces have been at a significantly decreased risk of dying as a result of a disease related condition compared to the UK general population.

Between 1999 and 2007 the UK Regular Armed Forces were at a significantly increased risk of dying as a result of an accident compared to the UK general population. The high SMR observed in 2006 is due to an increase in the number of UK Regular Armed Forces personnel who died as a result of an accident. In 2008 there was no significant difference in deaths due to accidents between members of the UK Regular Armed Forces and the UK general population.

No SMR is provided for 'killed in action' and 'died of wounds' because they are military specific categories and only Service personnel are at risk of these causes of death. These deaths are included in the overall SMR.

The variation in the SMR of violence-related deaths (excluding deaths due to hostile action) can be explained by the small number of deaths that occurred in this category. A small change in the observed number can result in a large change in any statistic calculated from the numbers.

With the exception of the year 2000, when there was no significant difference between the UK Regular Armed Forces and the UK general population for the occurrence of deaths due to suicide, the UK Regular Armed Forces have been at a significantly decreased risk of dying as a result of a suicide compared to the UK general population. Please note that this comparison includes deaths among males and females whereas the data provided in Table 3.6 provide comparisons to the UK general population for males only.
Standardised Mortality Ratio2 1999   2000   2001   2002   2003   2004   2005   2006   2007   2008  
All 57   60   59   62   76   76   75   113   98   66  
 
                                        
Disease-related conditions
 28   25   29   28   28   32   33   34   29   27  
     Cancers
 65   42   63   51   49   58   66   73   81   69  
     Diseases of the circulatory system
 32   42   24   48   37   49   45   47   19   22  
     Other
 4   5   12   4   12   6   8   2   7   7  
                                         
External causes of injury and poisoning
 98   113   106   117   155   150   148   313   211   132  
     Deaths due to accidents
 146   148   168   202   160   217   181   414   193   113  
          Land Transport Accidents
 161   169   181   239   175   242   223   535   227   123  
          Other
 127   122   149   142   132   177   116   275   152   102  
     Deaths due to violence
 26   70   77   76   28   139   30   82   89   -  
          Killed in Action3
 *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *  
          Died of Wounds3
 *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *  
          Other
 26   70   77   76   28   139   30   82   89   -  
     Suicide and Open verdicts 55   79   35   35   63   51   63   42   22   6  
                                         
Cause not currently available 55   31   29   -   -   26   28   79   93   71  
Source: DASA (Health Information)
1.    DASA code all cause of death information to the World Health Organisation's International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health        Problems 10th Revision (ICD-10).
2.    Standardised mortality ratios have been standardised for age, gender and calendar year.
3.    DASA have included the Joint Casualty and Compassionate Cell (JCCC) categories of killed in action and died of wounds which together provide information        on the number of Service personnel who have died as a result of hostile action. The term 'killed in action' is used when a battle casualty has died outright or        as a result of injuries before reaching a medical facility, whilst 'died of wounds' refers to battle casualties who died of wounds or other injuries after        reaching a medical facility.


Deaths in the UK Regular Armed Forces: by year of occurrence and cause, standardised mortality ratio, 1999-2008