MEDICAL-CARE OF IRAQIS AT A FORWARDLY DEPLOYED US ARMY HOSPITAL DURING OPERATION DESERT-STORM

To evaluate the injuries and diseases and their subsequent care for bo th Iraqis and U.S. soldiers in the Persian Gulf War, we analyzed all 1 96 admissions to the 46th Combat Support Hospital during Operation Des ert Storm, with primary focus on the 118 admissions during the Ground War. Admission diagnosis was used to classify injury or disease. Perce ntage of patients who underwent surgery for combat wounds and percenta ge of patients who were air-evacuated were used as measurements of qua lity of care, The proportion of Iraqi patients who had been wounded in action was significantly higher than the proportion for Americans (95 vs. 53% for the Ground War). The rate of surgical procedures per woun ded patients admitted was the same for Iraqis (28%) as for Americans ( 27%). Rates of air-evacuation for Iraqis were not statistically differ ent from those for Americans in the same category of admission diagnos es. These last two findings suggest that the quality of care given to Iraqis was the same as that given to Americans.