OBJECTIVE: The objective of this investigation is to describe the health-related quality of life of Persian Gulf War (GW) veterans and to examine the effects of current chronic medical conditions and psychiatric status on physical functioning. METHODS: To measure health-related quality of life, the Medical Outcomes Short Form Survey (SF36) was administered approximately 4 years after the GW to a stratified, random sample of New England-area GW-deployed veterans and a group of military personnel deployed to Germany during the GW. The SF36 scores for the GW-deployed study population (N = 141) were compared with those for the Germany-deployed group (N = 46) and with published U.S. population norms. Multiple linear regression analyses were performed to identify risk factors associated with lower physical health functioning in the GW-deployed study group. RESULTS: Functional health status was significantly lower in the GW-deployed group compared with the Germany-deployed group for each of the SF36 subscales and the two summary scores (Physical Component Summary [PCS] and Mental Component Summary). Compared with the general U.S. population, the GW-deployed group median was between the 25th and 50th percentile for the Physical Functioning subscale and the PCS score. Within the GW-deployed group, lower education, psychological symptomatology, and a higher number of chronic self-reported medical conditions were significant predictors of the PCS score. CONCLUSION: GW-deployed veterans report lower functional health status compared with a group of Germany-deployed veterans and published general U.S. population norms. Within the group of GW-deployed veterans, several current medical and psychological conditions predictive of lower physical functioning levels were identified.
OBJECTIVE: The objective of this investigation is to describe the health-related quality of life of Persian Gulf War (GW) veterans and to examine the effects of current chronic medical conditions and psychiatric status on physical functioning. METHODS: To measure health-related quality of life, the Medical Outcomes Short Form Survey (SF36) was administered approximately 4 years after the GW to a stratified, random sample of New England-area GW-deployed veterans and a group of military personnel deployed to Germany during the GW. The SF36 scores for the GW-deployed study population (N = 141) were compared with those for the Germany-deployed group (N = 46) and with published U.S. population norms. Multiple linear regression analyses were performed to identify risk factors associated with lower physical health functioning in the GW-deployed study group. RESULTS: Functional health status was significantly lower in the GW-deployed group compared with the Germany-deployed group for each of the SF36 subscales and the two summary scores (Physical Component Summary [PCS] and Mental Component Summary). Compared with the general U.S. population, the GW-deployed group median was between the 25th and 50th percentile for the Physical Functioning subscale and the PCS score. Within the GW-deployed group, lower education, psychological symptomatology, and a higher number of chronic self-reported medical conditions were significant predictors of the PCS score. CONCLUSION: GW-deployed veterans report lower functional health status compared with a group of Germany-deployed veterans and published general U.S. population norms. Within the group of GW-deployed veterans, several current medical and psychological conditions predictive of lower physical functioning levels were identified.
Authors: Susan M Frayne; Victoria A Parker; Cindy L Christiansen; Susan Loveland; Margaret R Seaver; Lewis E Kazis; Katherine M Skinner Journal: J Gen Intern Med Date: 2006-03 Impact factor: 5.128
Authors: Valerie L Forman-Hoffman; Caroline P Carney; Tomoko R Sampson; Paul M Peloso; Robert F Woolson; Donald W Black; Bradley N Doebbeling Journal: Qual Life Res Date: 2005-12 Impact factor: 4.147
Authors: Rebecca B McNeil; Catherine M Thomas; Steven S Coughlin; Elizabeth Hauser; Grant D Huang; Karen M Goldstein; Marcus R Johnson; Tyra Dunn-Thomas; Dawn T Provenzale Journal: Environ Health Date: 2013-01-09 Impact factor: 5.984
Authors: Tyler C Smith; Mark Zamorski; Besa Smith; James R Riddle; Cynthia A Leardmann; Timothy S Wells; Charles C Engel; Charles W Hoge; Joyce Adkins; Dan Blaze Journal: BMC Public Health Date: 2007-11-26 Impact factor: 3.295
Authors: Roberta F White; Lea Steele; James P O'Callaghan; Kimberly Sullivan; James H Binns; Beatrice A Golomb; Floyd E Bloom; James A Bunker; Fiona Crawford; Joel C Graves; Anthony Hardie; Nancy Klimas; Marguerite Knox; William J Meggs; Jack Melling; Martin A Philbert; Rachel Grashow Journal: Cortex Date: 2015-09-25 Impact factor: 4.027