The information
most readily available to identify the impact of disability is found in the administrative
databases that characterize cases brought for Physical Evaluation Board (PEB) review and
decisions on compensation for disability. The PEB review process serves both a
medical/disability function and an administrative function. Present PEB reports do not
reveal/record causes for disability. Thus, there are limitations to its use for research
or surveillance purposes.A further issue is the difficulty in distinguishing new
disability cases in these data systems from cases returning for second and third reviews.
This limits the ability to identify the incidence of new injury-related disability and to
compare injury-related disability rates among and with the services.
While the data sets of the disability agencies have been developed to serve and
administrative function rather than a surveillance function, there is potential for
improving their utility for surveillance of injury-related disabilities. The reviews of
the PEBs and MEBs have characteristics that make them useful for evaluating the impact of
injuries in the military. Adding refinements to these systems would likely enhance their
usefulness for injury surveillance.
