Changes in Health Status in the Ft. Devens Gulf War Veterans Cohort: 1997-2017
Gulf War veterans (GWVs) were exposed to numerous neurotoxicants during deployment. Upon returning home, many reported a multitude of symptoms including fatigue, pain, gastrointestinal and respiratory issues, and neurological, cognitive, and mood complaints, collectively termed “Gulf War Illness (GW...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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SAGE Publishing
2020-08-01
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| Series: | Neuroscience Insights |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1177/2633105520952675 |
| _version_ | 1819023180400951296 |
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| author | Clara G Zundel Timothy Heeren Claudia M Grasso Avron Spiro Susan P Proctor Kimberly Sullivan Maxine Krengel |
| author_facet | Clara G Zundel Timothy Heeren Claudia M Grasso Avron Spiro Susan P Proctor Kimberly Sullivan Maxine Krengel |
| author_sort | Clara G Zundel |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Gulf War veterans (GWVs) were exposed to numerous neurotoxicants during deployment. Upon returning home, many reported a multitude of symptoms including fatigue, pain, gastrointestinal and respiratory issues, and neurological, cognitive, and mood complaints, collectively termed “Gulf War Illness (GWI).” Now, nearly 30 years post-war, many GWVs continue to suffer from these symptoms, in addition to health concerns associated with normal aging. While most research on GWVs has been cross-sectional, it is important to evaluate the progression and onset of new GWI symptoms longitudinally. The current study investigated the health of GWVs 25+ years after the war by resurveying the Ft. Devens Cohort and comparing their current health to their health reported 15 to 20 years earlier. The sample consists of 317 GWVs (~54 years old at the latest survey, 38 women) who responded to both surveys (1997-1998 and 2013-2017). Multivariable regression analyses were used to assess changes in GWI symptomatology and prevalence of medical conditions. The rates of 12 of 25 health symptoms increased significantly from the prior 1997-1998 survey. Anxiety, numbness in extremities, depressed mood, and joint pain had the greatest increase in endorsement. The rates of 7 of 16 medical conditions increased significantly from the prior 1997-1998 survey. High blood pressure, diabetes, and cancer had the greatest increase in prevalence. In summary, this study demonstrates that both symptoms and physician-diagnosed medical conditions associated with GW deployment/exposure increased in prevalence. For GWVs, focus by providers on the treatment of cognitive and mental health issues as well as cardiovascular and cerebrovascular risk factors is warranted. Targeting symptom alleviation would help improve the quality of life in these veterans until treatments addressing the entire illness become available. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-21T04:34:48Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1656ebedd96f45a8873b8f4fe8204bd3 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2633-1055 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-21T04:34:48Z |
| publishDate | 2020-08-01 |
| publisher | SAGE Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Neuroscience Insights |
| spelling | doaj.art-1656ebedd96f45a8873b8f4fe8204bd32022-12-21T19:15:53ZengSAGE PublishingNeuroscience Insights2633-10552020-08-011510.1177/2633105520952675Changes in Health Status in the Ft. Devens Gulf War Veterans Cohort: 1997-2017Clara G Zundel0Timothy Heeren1Claudia M Grasso2Avron Spiro3Susan P Proctor4Kimberly Sullivan5Maxine Krengel6Behavioral Neuroscience Program, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USADepartment of Biostatistics, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USAResearch Service, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, USADepartment of Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USAMilitary Performance Division, US Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Natick, MA, USADepartment of Environmental Health, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USADepartment of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USAGulf War veterans (GWVs) were exposed to numerous neurotoxicants during deployment. Upon returning home, many reported a multitude of symptoms including fatigue, pain, gastrointestinal and respiratory issues, and neurological, cognitive, and mood complaints, collectively termed “Gulf War Illness (GWI).” Now, nearly 30 years post-war, many GWVs continue to suffer from these symptoms, in addition to health concerns associated with normal aging. While most research on GWVs has been cross-sectional, it is important to evaluate the progression and onset of new GWI symptoms longitudinally. The current study investigated the health of GWVs 25+ years after the war by resurveying the Ft. Devens Cohort and comparing their current health to their health reported 15 to 20 years earlier. The sample consists of 317 GWVs (~54 years old at the latest survey, 38 women) who responded to both surveys (1997-1998 and 2013-2017). Multivariable regression analyses were used to assess changes in GWI symptomatology and prevalence of medical conditions. The rates of 12 of 25 health symptoms increased significantly from the prior 1997-1998 survey. Anxiety, numbness in extremities, depressed mood, and joint pain had the greatest increase in endorsement. The rates of 7 of 16 medical conditions increased significantly from the prior 1997-1998 survey. High blood pressure, diabetes, and cancer had the greatest increase in prevalence. In summary, this study demonstrates that both symptoms and physician-diagnosed medical conditions associated with GW deployment/exposure increased in prevalence. For GWVs, focus by providers on the treatment of cognitive and mental health issues as well as cardiovascular and cerebrovascular risk factors is warranted. Targeting symptom alleviation would help improve the quality of life in these veterans until treatments addressing the entire illness become available.https://doi.org/10.1177/2633105520952675 |
| spellingShingle | Clara G Zundel Timothy Heeren Claudia M Grasso Avron Spiro Susan P Proctor Kimberly Sullivan Maxine Krengel Changes in Health Status in the Ft. Devens Gulf War Veterans Cohort: 1997-2017 Neuroscience Insights |
| title | Changes in Health Status in the Ft. Devens Gulf War Veterans Cohort: 1997-2017 |
| title_full | Changes in Health Status in the Ft. Devens Gulf War Veterans Cohort: 1997-2017 |
| title_fullStr | Changes in Health Status in the Ft. Devens Gulf War Veterans Cohort: 1997-2017 |
| title_full_unstemmed | Changes in Health Status in the Ft. Devens Gulf War Veterans Cohort: 1997-2017 |
| title_short | Changes in Health Status in the Ft. Devens Gulf War Veterans Cohort: 1997-2017 |
| title_sort | changes in health status in the ft devens gulf war veterans cohort 1997 2017 |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1177/2633105520952675 |
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