Is the increased reporting of symptomatic ill health in Gulf War veterans related to how one asks the question?
BACKGROUND
Following the 1991 Gulf War (GW) there was much controversy surrounding service-related health effects. Evidence from the Vietnam experience suggested that self-reported ill health following that conflict might be related to how service during the conflict is framed. The aim of this article is to determine if a GW health effect persisted when the same questions were asked in a "non-GW" context.


METHODS
Prevalence of physical and psychological health problems were ascertained in a study assessing health screening from a random sample of UK Armed Forces. Record linkage between the screening survey and service history was conducted to obtain information on participation in the GW.


RESULTS
Differences in health outcomes were found between the GW and the non-GW groups. This difference existed for symptomatic measures (OR=1.84, 95% CI, 1.17-2.91) rather than psychological or behavioral measures. No differences were found in psychological measures such as PTSD or behavioral measures such as alcohol consumption. Those deployed to the GW had a poorer self-perception of health (OR=1.47, 95% CI 1.02-2.11).


CONCLUSIONS
Even in the absence of framing, a Gulf-related ill health effect was found.
Murphy
Dominic
D
King's Centre for Military Health Research, Institute of Psychiatry, Kings College London, London, UK.
Hooper
Richard
R
French
Claire
C
Jones
Margaret
M
Rona
Roberto
R
Wessely
Simon
S
D001294:Attitude to Health; D004739:England; D047830:Gulf War; D006801:Humans; D007344:Insurance Claim Reporting; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D010465:Perception; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014728:Veterans; D014744:Vietnam