Prevalence of Respiratory Diseases Among Veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom: Results From the National Health Study for a New Generation of US Veterans

This study investigated the population prevalence of asthma, bronchitis, and sinusitis among veterans deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq compared to nondeployed veterans. A 2009-2011 population-based health survey of 60,000 veterans (34% response rate) asked about the history of doctor-diagnosed respiratory disease. Analyses included smoking history, deployment status, and year of diagnosis. The prevalence of asthma, bronchitis, and sinusitis among those diagnosed during or after 2001 was 3.3%, 5.9%, and 6.9%, respectively, among the deployed veterans and 3.4%, 5.3%, and 5.6%, respectively, among the nondeployed veterans. Deployed veterans were 29% more likely to have been diagnosed with sinusitis during and after 2001 compared to nondeployed veterans (adjusted odds ratio = 1.30, 95% confidence interval = 1.13, 1.49). Deployed veterans are at increased risk for sinusitis compared to nondeployed. There was no significant difference in asthma or bronchitis risk between deployed and nondeployed veterans.