Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #107978

Hikmet J. Jamil, MD, PhD, FFOMI, Wayne State University Department of Family Medicine /, ACCESS Community Health & Research Center, 6450 Maple Rd, Dearborn, MI 48126, 313 216-2227, hjamil@med.wayne.edu, Sylvia C. Nassar-McMillan, Department of Counselor Education, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Box 7801 North Carolina, Raleigh, NC 27695, Richard Lambert, Department of Educational Leadership, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, UNC Charlotte, Charlotte, NC 28223, and Adnan Hammad, PhD, Community Health & Research Center, ACCESS, 6450 Maple Street, Dearborn, MI 48126.

In 1991 the Gulf War (GW) resulted in an influx of people from Iraq to the USA and to other regions of the world. The purpose of the present study was to explore the self-reported medical complaints of Iraqi who were either exposed or did not exposed to the GW environment. We attempted to determine if the frequency of medical complaints would differ significantly among these two groups and also from that reported in the literature of American GW veterans or other. Potential reasons for such differences include indirect effects, such as a neglect of general health prior to and during the war, or direct effects, such as the impact of environmental changes from the war itself. This was the first study among 350 Iraqi Americans in Michigan State. The sample populations were randomly selected. Measures were translated into Arabic and administered in an interview format by Iraqi physicians. The initial results showed significant differences between the two Iraqi groups in the number of medical complaints. The results also indicated the frequency of medical complaints of the exposed group were higher when compared to a group of other nations who exposed to GW The discussion section centers on the importance of addressing the specific medical needs of Iraqi immigrants who were exposed to the GW environment. It also addresses how they may be better served within our primary health care systems and how to plan for and educational program that will benefit all Iraqi. Note: Results will be presented

Learning Objectives:

• Learn the impact of gulf war 1991 on the health status of the Iraqi American

Keywords: Health Risks, Environmental Exposures

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

Recorded presentation