The health effects of peacekeeping (Bosnia, 1992-1996): a cross-sectional study--comparison with nondeployed military personnel

Abstract

Objective: Our goal was to test the hypothesis that United Kingdom soldiers who were deployed to Bosnia had worse health than a nondeployed control group.

Methods: We used data from a cross-sectional study designed to examine the health effects of service in the Persian Gulf War, which collected data in 1997 to 1998. We compared the two control groups--(personnel who were deployed to Bosnia and a nondeployed control group of military personnel (Era))--on a number of health-related outcomes, including physical functioning, symptoms and ailments, psychological health, fatigue, and post-traumatic stress reactions.

Results: The response rate for the Bosnia cohort was 62.9% and for the Era group 61.9%. A proportion of the Bosnia group had served in the Persian Gulf War and was found to have considerably worse health outcomes than the remaining Bosnia group or the Era group. The Bosnia group who had not served in the Persian Gulf War had broadly similar health outcomes to the Era group. The main differences were that the Bosnia-only group consumed more alcohol and reported more fatigue, hay fever, weight gain, irritability, avoidance, and night sweats. Apart from heavy alcohol consumption, the magnitude of these differences was small. The Bosnia-only group had slightly better physical functioning than the Era group, and there were two other symptoms and one ailment which were less common in the Bosnia-only group than in the Era group.

Conclusions: This study indicates that the health of United Kingdom military personnel who served in Bosnia from 1992 to 1996 was generally good in 1997 to 1998. However, further surveillance of veterans of the Balkan's War is required in the light of recent concerns.