Table 3 Association of demographic, military, and deployment characteristics with chronic ill health in 1990–1991 Gulf War veterans

Demographic Characteristics

Sex

 Male

12573

49 %

1.0 (ref)

30 %

1.0 (ref)

20 %

1.0 (ref)

 Female

1530

48 %

0.95 (0.82, 1.09)

36 %

1.29 (1.11, 1.51)^**

21 %

1.05 (0.88, 1.25)

Age at time of study (years)

 45-49

1830

53 %

1.0 (ref)

38 %

1.0 (ref)

25 %

1.0 (ref)

 50-59

6198

51 %

0.91 (0.79, 1.05)

34 %

0.87 (0.75, 1.01)

20 %

0.78 (0.66, 0.92)^**

 60-69

4646

47 %

0.77 (0.69, 0.86)^**

26 %

0.59 (0.50, 0.69)^**

19 %

0.72 (0.61, 0.86)^**

 70 +

1429

41 %

0.62 (0.51, 0.74)^**

19 %

0.39 (0.31, 0.49)^**

17 %

0.64 (0.51, 0.80)^**

Race

 White/Caucasian

9365

43 %

1.0 (ref)

26 %

1.0 (ref)

18 %

1.0 (ref)

 Black/African American

3165

61 %

2.01 (1.81, 2.24)^**

41 %

1.99 (1.77, 2.24)^**

26 %

1.68 (1.48, 1.90)^**

 Native American/Alaskan Native

161

55 %

1.61 (1.07, 2.43)^*

40 %

1.85 (1.19, 2.89)^*

21 %

1.21 (0.73, 2.03)

 Asian

268

56 %

1.67 (1.21, 2.30)^**

27 %

1.03 (0.70, 1.50)

13 %

0.73 (0.46, 1.18)

 Other/Multiple

1136

58 %

1.80 (1.53, 2.13)^**

39 %

1.83 (1.54, 2.19)^**

27 %

1.73 (1.43, 2.09)^**

Military Characteristics

Military Rank in 1990-1991

 Officer

2090

26 %

1.0 (ref)

15 %

1.0 (ref)

12 %

1.0 (ref)

 Warrant Officer

391

41 %

2.00 (1.49, 2.68)^**

20 %

1.44 (0.98, 2.10)

17 %

1.44 (0.97, 2.12)

 Enlisted

11477

53 %

3.32 (2.89, 3.81)^**

34 %

2.89 (2.43, 3.44)^**

22 %

1.97 (1.64, 2.37)^**

Military Branch in 1990-1991

 Air Force

2047

37 %

1.0 (ref)

21 %

1.0 (ref)

13 %

1.0 (ref)

 Navy

3123

44 %

1.34 (1.15, 1.55)^**

26 %

1.28 (1.06, 1.54)^*

12 %

0.89 (0.71, 1.12)

 Marines

1417

47 %

1.52 (1.27, 1.82)^**

32 %

1.78 (1.44, 2.20)^**

22 %

1.92 (1.51, 2.43)^**

 Army

7475

55 %

2.06 (1.80, 2.35)^**

35 %

2.02 (1.72, 2.37)^**

25 %

2.29 (1.90, 2.75)^**

Military Component in 1990-1991

 Active

10704

48 %

1.0 (ref)

30 %

1.0 (ref)

19 %

1.0 (ref)

 Reserves/National Guard

3399

51 %

1.11 (0.99, 1.23)

32 %

1.05 (0.93, 1.18)

24 %

1.40 (1.24, 1.59)^**

Deployment Characteristics

Location in Theater

 At Sea 7 days or longer

1993

41 %

1.0 (ref)

24 %

1.0 (ref)

9 %

1.0 (ref)

 In Iraq or Kuwait 7 days or longer

6023

55 %

1.74 (1.52, 1.99)^**

38 %

1.97 (1.68, 2.32)^**

27 %

3.69 (2.97, 4.58)^**

 Other land locations (not Iraq/Kuwait)

5131

43 %

1.09 (0.95, 1.25)

24 %

1.03 (0.87, 1.22)

17 %

2.06 (1.65, 2.58)^**

Time Period in Theater

 Left the region before Jan 1991

474

43 

1.0 (ref)

25 %

1.0 (ref)

11 %

1.0 (ref)

 Present Jan-Feb, left Mar-May 1991

7831

49 %

1.27 (1.00, 1.63)

30 %

1.29 (0.96, 1.74)

21 %

2.19 (1.49, 3.22)^**

 Present Jan-Feb, left Jun-Aug 1991

2193

55 %

1.62 (1.25, 2.11)^**

37 %

1.74 (1.28, 2.38)^**

28 %

3.15 (2.11, 4.69)^**

 First arrived in/after March 1991

947

46 %

1.12 (0.84, 1.50)

27 %

1.12 (0.79, 1.59)

14 %

1.26 (0.80, 1.98)

All Veterans

14103

49 %

31 %

20 %