Table 4.
Self-reported exposure histories of US registry participants as of September 1999. (Adapted from Department of Veterans Affairs 2002. CARC, chemical agent resistant coating; VA, Department of Veterans Affairs; DoD, Department of Defense; NR, not recorded in Comprehensive Clinical Evaluation Program (CCEP).)
| per cent self-reporting exposure | ||
|---|---|---|
| potential exposure during Gulf War | revised VA registry (n=21 306) | DoD CCEP (n=32 876) |
| diesel and other petrochemical fumes | 90.9 | 89.5 |
| passive smoking | 89.1 | 85.4 |
| skin exposure to fuel | 74.8 | NR |
| burning trash/faeces | 77.3 | NR |
| smoke from oil well fires | 75.5 | 70.6 |
| ate food other than provided by military | 70.1 | 66.0 |
| pesticides (creams, sprays) | 68.5 | 67.6 |
| smoke from tent heaters | 70.6 | 70.0 |
| pyridostigmine bromide pills | 69.4 | 78.9 |
| other paints and solvents | 53.7 | 56.0 |
| anthrax vaccination | 53.0 | 49.6 |
| CARC paint | 36.5 | 44.9 |
| microwaves | 32.8 | 28.9 |
| ate or drank contaminated food | 35.3 | 23.5 |
| bathed in water not provided by military | 29.9 | 30.2 |