Deployment stressors and a chronic multisymptom illness among Gulf War veterans

Unusual health problems have been reported by Gulf War (GW) veterans, but n o single etiology has been linked to these illnesses. This study was conduc ted to determine the association between self-reported GW deployment stress ors and an illness defined by a combination of fatigue, mood-cognition, and musculoskeletal symptoms. A total of 1002 GW veterans from this cross-sect ional survey of fc,ur Air Force units completed a self-administered questio nnaire that asked about symptoms, demographic and military characteristics, and stressors during deployment. Severe and mild-moderate illness was posi tively associated with self-reports of pyridostigmine bromide use, insect r epellent use and belief in a threat from biological or chemical weapons. In juries requiring medical attention were only associated with severe illness . 'These results suggest a link between self-reported chemical, emotional, and physical exposures, and GW veterans' illness. Further research is neede d to determine physiological and psychological mechanisms through which suc h stressors could have contributed to this symptom complex.