RESUMO
This report uses routinely collected data in the Defense Medical Surveillance System (DMSS) to characterize the prevalence and burden of fibromyalgia (FM) among members of the active component of the U.S. Armed Forces between 1 Jan 2018 and 31 Dec 2018. During the study period, the prevalence of FM was 0.15%. There was a trend of increasing prevalence with increasing age. Prevalence was highest among women (0.59%), those in the oldest age group (0.52%), non-Hispanic blacks (0.25%), those in the Air Force (0.21%),those in a healthcare occupation (0.36%), senior enlisted (0.24%) and warrant officers (0.24%). The prevalence of FM was approximately twice as high among non-Hispanic blacks compared to non-Hispanic whites. The average number of medical encounters per FM patient per year was 57 (median 38, LQ=21, UQ=66, range=1-263) compared to an average of 13 in the total patient population. The groups of conditions most commonly associated with an FM diagnosis were musculoskeletal and mental health conditions.The burden of FM disease poses clear readiness and retention concerns.
