Public Health
WRIISC research: Study sheds light on what Gulf War Veterans want to hear from their provider
VA’s War Related Illness and Injury Study Center (WRIISC) conducted a survey study, sampling 210 Veteran participants with Gulf War illness to determine what information shared by health care providers is the most helpful.
Veterans with Gulf War illness have chronic, unexplained symptoms that can include fatigue, headaches, joint pain, indigestion, insomnia, dizziness, respiratory disorders, and memory problems. Gulf War illness is also known as “chronic multisymptom illness” or “undiagnosed illness.”
Participants of the WRIISC study completed a questionnaire that asked them to explain the most helpful information gained during conversations with their health care providers. Participants thought acknowledgement and validation and specific treatment recommendations were particularly helpful, with 70 participants reporting that it was most helpful when their provider offered acknowledgement and validation, and 48 participants reporting that specific recommendations for managing Gulf War illness or its symptoms were helpful. The findings also highlight missed communication opportunities, with a third of Veterans not finding anything helpful (63 participants).
The New Jersey WRIISC is working to improve communication between patients and health care providers by teaching providers across VA to acknowledge, validate, and provide specific treatment recommendations when treating Veterans with Gulf War Illness.
Learn more about this study, called “Helpful ways providers can communicate about persistent medically unexplained physical symptoms” by reading the abstract. Find out more about the research and provider education activities at the WRIISC.
