Illness Among Persian Gulf War Veterans: Case Validation Studies

Abstract

We recently completed a population-based, cross-sectional/cohort telephone survey of 4,886 military personnel to compare the prevalence of self-reported symptoms and illnesses among military personnel either deployed, or eligible but not deployed, during the Gulf War (JAMA, 1997). The proposed series of case-validation and case-control studies nested within our population-based study, should provide an estimate of the true magnitude of the problem. Because of the magnitude of the difference in prevalence between these groups, it is critical to explore and characterize their cognitive deficits, depression, and multisystemic conditions. The primary purpose of the current project is to compare the true rate of confirmed disease among samples of veterans not deployed, with and without these self-reported conditions. Furthermore, we also plan to identify risk factors for each disease outcome of interest including medical and family history, psychological factors, and occupational and environmental exposures for validated illness in a series of nested case-control studies. Year 3 of 4 has just been completed. Through September 2000, 456 subjects have been assessed, with a participation rate of 65%. Recruitment, assessment, and data collection, entry, and validation efforts are ongoing. We are in the process of data editing, database linkage and planning and programming analyses.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Oct 01, 2000
Accession Number
ADA385422

Entities

People

  • Bradley N. Doebbeling

Organizations

  • University of Iowa

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Computer Programming
  • Data Analysis
  • Department Of Veterans Affairs
  • Diseases And Disorders
  • Environmental Exposure
  • Health
  • Health Care
  • Health Services
  • Medical Personnel
  • Military Personnel
  • Persian Gulf
  • Persian Gulf Syndrome
  • Persian Gulf War
  • Public Health
  • Risk Factors
  • Social Sciences
  • Traumatic Stress Disorder

Fields of Study

  • Medicine
  • Psychology

Readers

  • Clinical Trial Research.
  • Gulf War Illness and Chronic Multisymptom Illness in Veterans.
  • Mental Health of Military Veterans with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): Risk Factors, Prevalence, Symptoms, and Treatment.