Pesticide Use during the Gulf War: A Survey of Gulf War Veterans
Abstract
Veterans of Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm (ODS/DS) have reported an array of health complaints since the war. These complaints are often attributed to the veterans' deployment to the Persian Gulf, and the reported ailments have been popularly labeled Gulf War illness. Whether veterans are experiencing higher-than-expected rates of either known or unknown illnesses has not yet been determined. However, by 1997 the Veterans Administration (VA) had recorded approximately 15,000 veterans with undiagnosed symptoms, commonly including fatigue, muscle and joint pains, headaches, memory loss, skin rash, diarrhea, and sleep disturbances. Symptoms similar to some of those reported by Gulf War veterans may result from overexposure to various pesticides, but little is known about the use (or misuse) of pesticides during ODS/DS, particularly pesticide use by the average service member. In an effort to gather additional information, RAND was commissioned by the Special Assistant to the Deputy Secretary of Defense for Gulf War Illnesses to survey veterans about the pesticides they personally used and other pesticides they used or observed being used in the field. The purpose of the survey was to augment available information about the extent of pesticide use by the troops, the level of multiple pesticide use, and the duration and frequency of use.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 2000
- Accession Number
- ADA385937
Entities
People
- Dalia M. Spektor
- Donald D. Fricker Jr.
- Elaine Reardon
- Jennifer Hawes-dawson
- Sarah K. Cotton
Organizations
- RAND Corporation