Respiratory disease among military personnel in Saudi Arabia during Operation Desert Shield
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 11037003 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Allen L Richards (0000-0002-1065-429X, Naval Medical Research Command), Kenneth C Hyams, Douglas M Watts (0000-0003-0225-4357), Patrick J Rozmajzl, James N Woody, B R Merrell |
| Year | 1993 |
| Volume | 83 |
| Issue | 9 |
| Pages | 1326-1329 |
| Publication date | 1993-09-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | American Journal of Public Health (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0090-0036 • E-ISSN: 1541-0048 |
| Publisher | American Public Health Association (PUBLISHER • US) |
| DOI | 10.2105/ajph.83.9.1326 |
| PMID | 8363011 |
| OpenAlex | W2061421130 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 2 |
| References cited | 4 |
OBJECTIVES. The purpose of this study was to determine whether respiratory disease due to crowded living conditions and high levels of suspended and blowing sand had a major adverse impact on US military personnel during Operation Desert Shield. METHODS. A questionnaire survey was administered to 2598 combat troops stationed in Northeast Saudi Arabia for a mean of 102 days. Samples of surface sand from seven different locations were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy and x-ray diffraction. RESULTS. Among surveyed troops, 34.4% reported a sore throat, 43.1% complained of a cough, 15.4% complained of chronic rhinorrhea, and 1.8% were unable to perform their routine duties because of upper respiratory symptoms. Evaluation of sleeping accommodations indicated that complaints of a sore throat and cough were most closely associated with sleeping in air-conditioned buildings; in contrast, complaints of rhinorrhea were associated with exposure to the outdoor environment while living in tents. Sand samples consisted mostly of quartz, with just 0.21% by weight of respirable size (
Archaeology · Biology · Desert (philosophy) · Environmental health · Geography · Military medicine · Military personnel · Political science · Shield · Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Research · Indoor Air Quality and Microbial Exposure · Law · Medicine · Occupational Health and Performance
| Unique citing works | 2 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 0,08 |
| Citation span | 2002 - 2021 (20) |
| Citation velocity | historical |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 2 |