Table 2

Prevalence (%) of symptoms reported as current health problems in the US Study of Gulf War veterans

Current health problem
Deployed to the Gulf (N = 1,163)

Sinus congestion
51.8
Headache
50.0
Fatigue
42.9
Joint pain
35.5
Difficulty remembering or concentrating
34.4
Joint stiffness
30.4
Difficulty or problems to sleep
27.6
Gas, bloating, cramps or abdominal pain
26.7
Trouble finding words
26.1
Irritability or moodiness
25.5
Skin rashes or sores
23.0
Numbness or tingling in fingers or toes
21.0
Muscle pains
19.9
Hay fever or other allergies
19.0
Depression
18.0
Diarrhea (3 or more loose bowel movements in 24 hours)
17.6
Sore throat
17.4
Cough
17.1
Anxiety
17.0
Unintended weight gain greater than 10 lbs
16.9
Shortness of breath
16.4
Chest pain
15.0
Decreased sexual interest
14.3
Dizziness
13.9
Night sweats that soak your bed sheets
13.3
Fatigue lasting 24 hours after exertion
12.6
Sores inside your nose
10.8
Swollen lymph glands in your neck, armpit, groin
10.1
Inability to tolerate milk
7.1
Episodes of disorientation
6.6
Nausea or vomiting
6.3
Wheezing
5.9
Sensitivity to chemicals
5.2
Fever
4.9
Unintended weight loss greater than 10 lbs
2.7
In general would you say your health is (mean, standard deviation) 1=Excellent, 2=Very Good, 3=Good, 4=Fair, 5=Poor
2.3 (0.9)

Nisenbaum et al. Population Health Metrics 2004 2:8   doi:10.1186/1478-7954-2-8