Depression in Gulf War Veterans: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background Although post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been a focus of attention in 1990/1991 Gulf War veterans, the excess risk of depression has not been clearly identified. We investigated this through a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies comparing depression in Gulf War veterans to depression in a comparison group of non-deployed military personnel. Method Multiple electronic databases and grey literature were searched from 1990 to 2012. Studies were assessed for eligibility and risk of bias according to established criteria. Results Of 14 098 titles and abstracts assessed, 14 studies met the inclusion criteria. Gulf War veterans had over twice the odds of experiencing depression [odds ratio (OR) 2.28, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.88–2.76] and dysthymia or chronic dysphoria (OR 2.39, 95% CI 2.0–2.86) compared to non-deployed military personnel. This finding was robust in sensitivity analyses, and to differences in overall risk of bias and psychological measures used. Conclusions Despite divergent methodologies between studies, depression and dysthymia were twice as common in Gulf War veterans and are important medical conditions for clinicians and policymakers to be aware of in managing Gulf War veterans’ health.