Neuroepidemiologic Case Definition of Gulf War Illness from Neuroimaging and EEG in a Population-Representative Nested Case-Control Sample of Gulf War Veterans
Abstract
The objective of this study is to gain a far deeper understanding of the symptoms and adverse consequences of Gulf War illness (GWI) from the analysis of two epidemiologic studies already conducted in recent years but not yet fully analyzed. The first study is a national survey in a sample of 8,020 Gulf War-era Veterans selected randomly from the 3.7 million members of the U.S. Military in 1991, in which detailed descriptions of GWI symptoms were collected from 2007 to 2010. The second is a 12-year follow-up of 204 members of a Seabees battalion who served in the Gulf War and whose symptoms were surveyed with the same methodology in 1995 and again in 2007. This will tell us the extent and direction of change in the symptoms. Since no more data will have to be collected, this analysis of the data can make large contributions to our knowledge at a very low cost. Intensive analysis of these databases with sophisticated mathematical techniques will construct a detailed picture of the symptoms of GWI, its comorbidities, and effects on spouses and offspring. The results will give doctors a far more detailed understanding of the kinds of bad feelings and disabilities that Veterans with GWI are experiencing and whether GWI has been getting better, worse, or staying the same over time. The impact of these findings will positively influence the ability of the medical community to understand GWI and treat it as a real illness.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Jan 31, 2017
- Source ID
- W81XWH1610740
Entities
People
- Robert W. Haley
Organizations
- United States Army
- University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center