Deployment stressors and a chronic multisymptom illness among Gulf War veterans.
Unusual health problems have been reported by Gulf War (GW) veterans, but no single etiology has been linked to these illnesses. This study was conducted to determine the association between self-reported GW deployment stressors and an illness defined by a combination of fatigue, mood-cognition, and musculoskeletal symptoms. A total of 1002 GW veterans from this cross-sectional survey of four Air Force units completed a self-administered questionnaire that asked about symptoms, demographic and military characteristics, and stressors during deployment. Severe and mild-moderate illness was positively associated with self-reports of pyridostigmine bromide use, insect repellent use and belief in a threat from biological or chemical weapons. Injuries requiring medical attention were only associated with severe illness. These results suggest a link between self-reported chemical, emotional, and physical exposures, and GW veterans' illness. Further research is needed to determine physiological and psychological mechanisms through which such stressors could have contributed to this symptom complex.
Nisenbaum
R
R
Division of Viral and Rickettsial Diseases, National Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia 30333, USA.
Barrett
D H
DH
Reyes
M
M
Reeves
W C
WC
D000328:Adult; D001694:Biological Warfare / Q000523:psychology; D002618:Chemical Warfare / Q000523:psychology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D005260:Female; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018777:Multiple Chemical Sensitivity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D018923:Persian Gulf Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012737:Sex Factors; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014728:Veterans / Q000523:psychology