Analysis, prioritization, and simulation of space station medical care

A Health Maintenance Facility (HMF) is being designed to provide all medical services which Space Station crew members may require. As part of the background research required to define the medical care capabilities of the HMF, this research investigated the spectrum of medical events which Space Station crews could be expected to encounter. Active duty U.S. Army personnel served as a study population for the gathering of epidemiological data on all categories of disease. After taking into account the differences between astronauts and Army personnel and their respective environments, the Army data was used to predict Space Station epidemiology. Simulations of Space Station medical history provided examples of possible medical scenarios. The research predicts that, excluding major disasters and risks posed by specific hazardous activities, the HMF equivalent of hospitalization of a crew member will occur in approximately one out of ten six-person crews. Under the same conditions, the probability of overlapping periods of illness for two persons requiring hospitalization is 4.9x10'^ per 90-day mission per six-person crew, or one in 2061. A prioritization score was calculated for each category of disease or injury, based on probability of occurrence and the severity of consequences associated with each category. It was proposed that priority scores be used in the selection of equipment, supplies, and crew medical training for the HMF. Acute myocardial infarction emerged as the highest priority category, followed by cardiac arrhythmias, affective psychoses, various traumatic injuries, complications of medical care, and renal calculi, among others. A method was proposed for assessing the adequacy of any given configuration of the HMF using cumulative density functions for percent total mortality, disability, sick days, and priority score.""