title: Prevalence of respiratory diseases among veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom: results from the National Health Study for a New Generation of U.S. Veterans.
abstract: This study investigated the population prevalence of asthma, bronchitis, and sinusitis among veterans deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq compared to nondeployed veterans. A 2009-2011 population-based health survey of 60,000 veterans (34% response rate) asked about the history of doctor-diagnosed respiratory disease. Analyses included smoking history, deployment status, and year of diagnosis. The prevalence of asthma, bronchitis, and sinusitis among those diagnosed during or after 2001 was 3.3%, 5.9%, and 6.9%, respectively, among the deployed veterans and 3.4%, 5.3%, and 5.6%, respectively, among the nondeployed veterans. Deployed veterans were 29% more likely to have been diagnosed with sinusitis during and after 2001 compared to nondeployed veterans (adjusted odds ratio = 1.30, 95% confidence interval = 1.13, 1.49). Deployed veterans are at increased risk for sinusitis compared to nondeployed. There was no significant difference in asthma or bronchitis risk between deployed and nondeployed veterans.
authors.affiliation: Post-Deployment Health Epidemiology Program (10P3A), Office of Public Health, Department of Veterans Affairs, Mailstop 127, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20420.
authors.forename: Shannon K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Barth
authors.affiliation: Post-Deployment Health Epidemiology Program (10P3A), Office of Public Health, Department of Veterans Affairs, Mailstop 127, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20420.
authors.forename: Erin K
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Dursa
authors.affiliation: Post-Deployment Health Epidemiology Program (10P3A), Office of Public Health, Department of Veterans Affairs, Mailstop 127, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20420.
authors.forename: Michael R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Peterson
authors.affiliation: Post-Deployment Health Epidemiology Program (10P3A), Office of Public Health, Department of Veterans Affairs, Mailstop 127, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20420.
authors.forename: Aaron
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schneiderman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D055826:Afghan Campaign 2001-; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006306:Health Surveys / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D054542:Iraq War, 2003-2011; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016017:Odds Ratio; D015995:Prevalence; D012140:Respiratory Tract Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014728:Veterans / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*