Operation Desert Storm:

Health Concerns of Selected Indiana Persian Gulf War Veterans

HEHS-95-102, May 16, 1995

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Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO provided information on certain Persian Gulf War veterans' chronic health problems, focusing on: (1) the veterans' current military and health status; (2) the health care services they received after the war; and (3) their opinions on post-war care.

GAO found that: (1) the veterans surveyed were still concerned about their health and were dissatisfied with the Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) and the Department of Defense's (DOD) services; (2) most of these veterans were still on active duty and believe their health problems are linked to their service in the Persian Gulf; (3) less than half of the separated veterans reported that health problems related to their Persian Gulf service contributed to their discharges; (4) most of the veterans reported that their health problems limited their physical and social activities; (5) almost one-third of the respondents reported that family members also experienced health problems that were related to their Gulf service; (6) although over half of these veterans had used VA or DOD health care services, many veterans received care from sources other than VA or DOD; and (7) VA and DOD have taken a variety of actions to address Persian Gulf veterans' concerns by expanding special health examinations and their outreach efforts.