Living With Toxic Wounds

The Voices and Visual Self-Representations of Gulf War Veterans

Bibliographic Data

ID4710083
AuthorsRebekka Dieterich-Hartwell (0000-0002-9788-7140, Drexel University, corresponding author), Bani Malhotra (0000-0002-6995-1942, Drexel University), Aslı Arslanbek (0000-0003-2716-143X, Drexel University), Bryann Debeer, Bryann B DeBeer (0000-0002-1076-988X, Rocky Mountain Mental Illness, Research, Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC) for Suicide Prevention, Rocky Mountain Regional VHA Medical Center, Aurora, CO, USA), Tabitha Alverio (Rocky Mountain Mental Illness, Research, Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC) for Suicide Prevention, Rocky Mountain Regional VHA Medical Center, Aurora, CO, USA), Girija Kaimal (0000-0002-7316-0473, Drexel University)
Year2024
Volume34
Issue5
Pages411-423
Publication date2024-04-01
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueQualitative Health Research (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1049-7323 • E-ISSN: 1552-7557
PublisherSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/10497323231213818
PMID38019750
OpenAlexW4389130112
LanguageEN
References cited27

Operations Desert Shield and Storm occurred over 30 years ago, yet many of those who were deployed continue to experience chronic and debilitating symptoms, now recognized as Gulf War Illness (GWI). While efforts have been made to explore clinical treatments for GWI, misperceptions and skepticism about its complex nature and a lack of consensus on its etiology impede progress in this area. A critical necessity remains to better understand the experiences, needs, and concerns of veterans with GWI. In this qualitative research study, 40 Gulf War veterans were interviewed about their perceptions regarding symptoms of physical health, cognitive functioning, quality of life, and the quality of care received. In addition, they depicted their experiences through an artistic elicitation collage. Through a grounded theory method, key findings indicated that there are remaining hurdles, such as challenging symptoms, persisting unknowns about the illness, and variations in treatment quality. The main implication from this study is the significance of both clinical and institutional validation and recognition of the GWI experience as well as the need for specific support systems

Grounded theory · Gulf war · Perception · Psychiatry · Qualitative research · Skepticism · Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Research · History · Medicine · Musculoskeletal pain and rehabilitation · Nursing · Occupational Health and Safety Research · Psychology

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Open DOI