Chronic respiratory symptoms following deployment-related occupational and environmental exposures among US veterans.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

Characterise inhalational exposures during deployment to Afghanistan and Southwest Asia and associations with postdeployment respiratory symptoms.

Methods

Participants (n=1960) in this cross-sectional study of US Veterans (Veterans Affairs Cooperative Study 'Service and Health Among Deployed Veterans') completed an interviewer-administered questionnaire regarding 32 deployment exposures, grouped a priori into six categories: burn pit smoke; other combustion sources; engine exhaust; mechanical and desert dusts; toxicants; and military job-related vapours gas, dusts or fumes (VGDF). Responses were scored ordinally (0, 1, 2) according to exposure frequency. Factor analysis supported item reduction and category consolidation yielding 28 exposure items in 5 categories.

SUBMITTER: Garshick E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10872566 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature