Table 4.
Multivariable association of deployment characteristics [n (%)] with GWI, by location in theater.
| All veterans (144 GWI cases, 160 controls) | Veterans in Iraq and/or Kuwait (101 GWI cases, 76 controls) | Veterans not in Iraq or Kuwait (43 GWI cases, 84 controls) | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deployment characteristic | GWI cases | Controls | Adjusted ORa (95% CI) | GWI cases | Controls | Adjusted ORb (95% CI) | GWI cases | Controls | Adjusted ORc (95% CI) | |||||||||
| Branch of service | ||||||||||||||||||
| Served in the Army (vs. other branches) | 93 (65) | 75 (47) | 1.21 (0.68, 2.14) | 73 (72) | 55 (72) | 0.72 (0.33, 1.59) | 20 (47) | 20 (24) | 1.42 (0.56, 3.60) | |||||||||
| Veteran-reported experiences and exposures | ||||||||||||||||||
| Wore uniforms treated with pesticides | 38 (27) | 14 (9) | 2.91 (1.41, 6.01)* | 28 (28) | 12 (16) | 1.35 (0.55, 3.35) | 10 (24) | 2 (2) | 12.74 (2.64, 61.5)* | |||||||||
| Took PB pills | 98 (72) | 68 (44) | 2.88 (1.68, 4.94)* | 79 (81) | 44 (58) | 3.50 (1.65, 7.41)* | 19 (47) | 24 (30) | 1.44 (0.59, 3.47) | |||||||||
| Frequently had < 4 hr sleep in 24 hr period | 96 (69) | 79 (49) | 2.19 (1.29, 3.73)* | 78 (78) | 50 (66) | 1.99 (0.93, 4.25) | 18 (45) | 29 (35) | 1.56 (0.66, 3.66) | |||||||||
| SCUD missile exploded within 1 mile | 67 (48) | 47 (31) | 2.18 (1.27, 3.72)* | 50 (52) | 21 (28) | 3.07 (1.53, 6.19)* | 17 (40) | 26 (33) | 1.08 (0.46, 2.54) | |||||||||
| Saw Iraqis/civilians badly wounded or killed | 93 (65) | 64 (40) | 1.66 (0.92, 2.97) | 85 (84) | 54 (71) | 1.55 (0.67, 3.58) | 8 (19) | 10 (12) | 1.00 (0.30, 3.31) | |||||||||
| Used pesticides on skin | 80 (57) | 49 (31) | 1.65 (0.92, 2.95) | 60 (61) | 30 (40) | 2.07 (1.06, 4.05)* | 20 (47) | 19 (23) | 1.62 (0.63, 4.17) | |||||||||
| Contact with prisoners of war | 84 (59) | 56 (35) | 1.40 (0.77, 2.54) | 74 (74) | 44 (58) | 1.70 (0.81, 3.58) | 10 (23) | 12 (14) | 0.83 (0.24, 2.82) | |||||||||
| Saw or came in contact with dead animals | 75 (54) | 54 (34) | 1.37 (0.77, 2.43) | 65 (66) | 39 (52) | 1.32 (0.65, 2.70) | 10 (24) | 15 (18) | 0.87 (0.30, 2.49) | |||||||||
| Contact with destroyed enemy vehicles | 86 (60) | 57 (36) | 1.35 (0.75, 2.44) | 80 (79) | 52 (69) | 1.39 (0.63, 3.05) | 6 (14) | 5 (6) | 1.79 (0.44, 7.37) | |||||||||
| Smoke from oil well fires | 117 (82) | 103 (65) | 1.33 (0.69, 2.55) | 92 (91) | 63 (83) | 2.78 (1.01, 7.66)* | 25 (60) | 40 (49) | 1.36 (0.60, 3.09) | |||||||||
| Received ≥ 1 shot in arm while in theater | 99 (73) | 88 (58) | 1.31 (0.74, 2.32) | 69 (73) | 45 (59) | 1.67 (0.81, 3.44) | 30 (73) | 43 (57) | 1.52 (0.62, 3.72) | |||||||||
| Was regular smoker during deployment | 54 (38) | 47 (29) | 1.26 (0.72, 2.21) | 41 (41) | 27 (36) | 0.96 (0.48, 1.93) | 13 (32) | 20 (24) | 1.59 (0.65, 3.93) | |||||||||
| Saw living area fogged/sprayed with pesticides | 30 (22) | 27 (17) | 1.26 (0.63, 2.50) | 26 (27) | 13 (17) | 1.26 (0.53, 3.00) | 4 (10) | 14 (17) | 0.72 (0.22, 2.40) | |||||||||
| Received ≥ 1 shot in buttocks while in theater | 57 (43) | 45 (29) | 1.13 (0.64, 2.01) | 43 (47) | 27 (36) | 1.30 (0.64, 2.63) | 14 (34) | 18 (23) | 1.27 (0.50, 3.22) | |||||||||
| Used/came into contact with freshly applied CARC paint | 38 (29) | 24 (17) | 0.97 (0.48 -1.98) | 36 (39) | 21 (30) | 0.88 (0.41, 1.88) | 2 (5) | 3 (4) | 1.04 (0.14, 7.84) | |||||||||
| Saw U.S. or allied troops badly wounded or killed | 56 (39) | 52 (33) | 0.83 (0.46, 1.48) | 46 (46) | 33 (44) | 0.69 (0.34, 1.40) | 10 (23) | 19 (23) | 0.94 (0.35, 2.48) | |||||||||
| Heard chemical alarms sounded | 84 (59) | 82 (53) | 0.61 (0.34, 1.11) | 61 (61) | 44 (59) | 0.78 (0.38, 1.58) | 23 (55) | 38 (47) | 1.01 (0.44, 2.30) | |||||||||
| Directly involved in ground combat | 45 (32) | 40 (25) | 0.57 (0.29, 1.11) | 45 (47) | 40 (53) | 0.47 (0.21, 1.02) | — | — | ||||||||||
| —, no observations. aAdjusted for being within 1 mile of exploding SCUD, wearing uniforms treated with pesticides, taking PB pills, and frequently having < 4 hr sleep in 24 hr. bAdjusted for being within 1 mile of exploding SCUD missile, using pesticides on skin, and taking PB pills. cAdjusted for wearing uniforms treated with pesticides. *p < 0.05. | ||||||||||||||||||