Ill Health among Soldiers Returning From Iraq

Professor Simon Wessely, of the King's Center for Military Health Research at King's College London said that British soldiers returning from Iraq are suffering from health problems. Hence the researcher and his team are examining whether there had been an increase in ill health in soldiers returning from Iraq. Therefore they are comparing the mental and physical health of forces who had been sent to Iraq and those who had not. In the end they found out that there is a slight increase in symptoms but reserve forces experienced more mental health problems than regular forces.

But the professor says that they are not suffering from any Iraq War Syndrome. Gulf War veterans complained of symptoms such as respiratory and digestive problems, nerve damage, fatigue, pain, numbness and memory and psychological problems. The main cause of this syndrome is associated with the immunizations given to the veterans. But the professor said that the vaccines given to British soldiers going to Iraq were different. About 3642 men who were sent to Iraq and 4,295 men who were not deployed were analysed about their mental and physical health. These results were later compared to the results obtained from the soldiers who had served in the Gulf War. It was found that reservists in Iraq had more mental health problems than regular forces.