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Nancy Fiedler, Gudrun Lange, Lana Tiersky, John DeLuca,
Theresa Policastro, Kathleen Kelly-McNeil, Benjamin Natelson
UMDNJ- Robert Wood Johnson Medical School; VA Medical
Center;
Kessler Medical Rehabilitation Research and Education Cooperation;
Following the Persian Gulf war, a subset of veterans reported
symptoms that could not be explained by known medical conditions. Thus
far, all epidemiologic surveys report fatigue as a primary complaint in
the unexplained illness of Gulf war veterans. Life stressors, personality
traits, and coping mechanisms have been associated with unexplained somatic
illnesses such as those reported by Gulf war veterans (e.g. chronic fatigue
syndrome). Thus, the present study compares stressors, personality traits,
and coping mechanisms of veterans with Fatiguing Illness, i.e., Chronic
Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) or Idiopathic Chronic Fatigue (ICF), versus healthy
veterans. Following a complete physical and psychiatric examination, veterans
were classified into three groups: Fatiguing Illness/ Psychiatric (N=23);
Fatiguing Illness/No Psychiatric (N=35); Healthy Controls (N=45). A series
of questionnaires were used to assess combat exposure life stressors,
personality, and coping. Comparisons between the groups revealed that
both veteran groups with Fatiguing Illness reported significantly more
exposure to combat and to chemicals while in the Gulf than Healthy Controls.
No group differences were observed in the number of non war-related negative
life events/stressors either before or during the war. However, veterans
with Fatiguing Illness reported significantly more negative life events
since the war and more use of negative coping strategies than Healthy
veterans. Both veteran groups with Fatiguing Illness also scored significantly
higher on scales of negative affect to include neuroticism and alexithymia.
Coping skills and neuroticism were significant predictors of the ability
to meet physical and emotional role demands. In conclusion, veterans with
Fatiguing Illness report an increased burden of stressors related to the
war and following the war. The personality traits and coping mechanisms
that are concurrent with the Fatiguing illness of these veterans probably
contributes to their illness burden and may present opportunities for
intervention.
Stressors, Personality, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
This research was supported by the Department of Veterans
Affairs as part of the New Jersey Center for Environmental Hazards Research. |
