Prevalences, odds ratios (OR), and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) of the 15 most frequently self-reported doctor diagnosed or treated medical conditions first diagnosed in 1991 or later
| Medical condition | First diagnosed in 1991 or later | First diagnosed in 1991 or later and rated as a “possible or probable” diagnosis* | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gulf War veterans n (%) | Comparison group n (%) | Adj OR† | 95% CI | Gulf War veterans n (%) | Comparison group n (%) | Adj OR† | 95% CI | |
| *Includes only those participants who completed a medical assessment and could, therefore, have their self-reported medical condition in the postal questionnaire assessed by an HSA doctor. The self-reported medical conditions of all participants who completed a postal questionnaire, whether they subsequently had a medical assessment of not, were included in the remainder of the relevant analyses. | ||||||||
| †Odds ratios are adjusted for service type, rank and age (<20, 20–24, 25–34, ⩾35 years), education, and marital status. | ||||||||
| Back or neck problems | 353 (29) | 370 (30) | 1.0 | 0.8 to 1.2 | 307 (26) | 294 (27) | 1.0 | 0.8 to 1.2 |
| Joint problems | 279 (22) | 262 (20) | 1.2 | 1.0 to 1.5 | 245 (20) | 222 (19) | 1.1 | 0.9 to 1.4 |
| Skin problem other than dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis, skin cancer, or malignant melanoma | 207 (16) | 172 (12) | 1.4 | 1.1 to 1.7 | 176 (14) | 141 (11) | 1.3 | 1.1 to 1.7 |
| Anxiety, stress, or depression | 203 (15) | 184 (12) | 1.3 | 1.0 to 1.6 | 177 (13) | 155 (12) | 1.2 | 1.0 to 1.5 |
| Hearing loss | 185 (14) | 201 (14) | 1.0 | 0.8 to 1.2 | 170 (13) | 172 (14) | 1.0 | 0.8 to 1.2 |
| Eye or vision problems, e.g. glaucoma | 165 (13) | 137 (10) | 1.4 | 1.1 to 1.7 | 145 (11) | 108 (9) | 1.4 | 1.2 to 1.8 |
| Bowel disorder, e.g. diarrhoea, constipation, bleeding | 153 (11) | 142 (10) | 1.1 | 0.9 to 1.4 | 131 (10) | 121 (10) | 1.1 | 0.8 to 1.4 |
| Sinus problems | 136 (11) | 100 (7) | 1.5 | 1.1 to 2.0 | 122 (10) | 81 (7) | 1.5 | 1.1 to 2.0 |
| High blood pressure | 127 (9) | 120 (8) | 1.2 | 0.9 to 1.6 | 105 (8) | 96 (7) | 1.2 | 0.9 to 1.6 |
| Skin cancer other than malignant melanoma | 103 (8) | 137 (9) | 0.9 | 0.7 to 1.2 | 92 (7) | 110 (8) | 1.0 | 0.7 to 1.3 |
| Ear infection | 102 (8) | 98 (7) | 1.1 | 0.8 to 1.5 | 96 (8) | 88 (7) | 1.1 | 0.8 to 1.5 |
| Dermatitis | 102 (8) | 66 (5) | 1.7 | 1.2 to 2.4 | 87 (7) | 52 (4) | 1.8 | 1.3 to 2.6 |
| Hay fever | 102 (8) | 89 (7) | 1.3 | 1.0 to 1.8 | 84 (7) | 75 (6) | 1.2 | 0.8 to 1.7 |
| Psychiatric or psychological condition other than alcohol or drug abuse or dependency, anxiety, stress, depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder | 75 (5) | 79 (5) | 1.0 | 0.7 to 1.4 | 57 (4) | 64 (5) | 0.9 | 0.6 to 1.3 |
| Post-traumatic stress disorder | 70 (5) | 31 (2) | 3.1 | 2.0 to 4.9 | 61 (4) | 24 (2) | 3.4 | 2.0 to 5.6 |