Fatigue in Cambodia veterans

In 1992 and 1993, Dutch military personnel were deployed in the peace opera tion UNTAC in Cambodia. Since returning, Cambodia veterans have reported he alth complaints which they perceive to be related to their service. Their s ymptoms strikingly resemble health problems reported by Gulf War veterans. Four years post-return, a cross-sectional survey on health symptoms in Camb odia veterans was initiated. Questionnaires were sent to all Cambodia veter ans and four comparison groups. Forgetfulness, difficulty concentrating and fatigue were the symptoms most commonly endorsed. An operational case defi nition was constructed using a validated fatigue severity questionnaire. Ca ses were not uniquely found in Cambodia veterans (17%). In Rwanda and Bosni a veterans, respectively, 28% and 11% also met our case definition. Fatigue severity level was predicted by pre-mission, during-mission and post-missi on variables, of which retrospective recollection of side-effects of vaccin es and causal attributions also have been shown to be relevant in studies o n Gulf-related illness.