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Prevalence of environmental exposures and respiratory diseases among Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom veterans
United States veterans deployed to Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) (Afghanistan) or Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) often encounter potentially harmful respiratory exposures during their time in Southwest Asia. Studies have noted new or increased respiratory diseases following deployment. Exposures can result from dust storms, military activities, motor vehicles, emissions from local industries, or burn pits. The objective of this analysis is to describe the relationship between military service in OEF/OIF, deployment-related environmental exposures that may impact the respiratory system, and respiratory diseases.
Methods
The Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Public Health, Epidemiology Program conducted a population-based longitudinal study of 30,000 OEF/OIF veterans and 30,000 non-deployed veterans who served in the military between 2001-2008. The study involved a survey on a wide range of health issues, including respiratory disease and environmental exposures.
We present the weighted prevalence of self-reported asthma, bronchitis, and sinusitis, diagnosed by a doctor before and after 2001, by exposures during military service (dust and sand; burning trash/feces; diesel, kerosene and/or other petrochemical fuels; smoke from oil well fires; industrial pollution), stratified by deployment to OEF/OIF. We provide the adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals of asthma, bronchitis, sinusitis, and any respiratory disease among veterans reporting environmental exposures, stratified by deployment status.
Results
Among both deployed and non-deployed veterans, those reporting environmental exposures had increased odds of reporting respiratory diseases.
Conclusions
Further research is needed on the impact of environmental exposures on asthma, bronchitis, and sinusitis for both deployed and non-deployed OEF/OIF veterans.
Learning Areas:
EpidemiologyOccupational health and safety
Public health or related research
Learning Objectives:
Describe the relationship between military service in OEF/OIF, deployment-related environmental exposures that may impact the respiratory system, and respiratory diseases.
Keyword(s): Veterans' Health, Asthma
Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am a Health Science Specialist at the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Public Health, Epidemiology Program. In this capacity I have conducted research on veterans’ health for 8.5 years, and was an Co-Investigator on the study described in this abstract. I am the lead author on a forthcoming paper on the overall respiratory prevalence among Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom veterans.
Any relevant financial relationships? No
I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.