Fumes and faeces in Kabul. Issue 3 (2nd June 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Taylor, Natalie; Ross, D
• Is Part Of: BMJ military health. Volume 166:Issue 3(2020)
• Page Start: 171
• Page End: 174
• Publication Date: 2019-06-02
• Subjects: health policy -- public health -- preventive medicine -- primary care; Medicine, Military -- Periodicals; Military hygiene -- Periodicals; 355.345
• DOI: 10.1136/jramc-2018-000951
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2633-3767

Abstract

Abstract : Soldiers deploy worldwide, often in hostile and remote locations. Considerable effort is made to ensure British soldiers deploy to locations with the correct force health protection, such as vaccinations and antimalarial chemoprophylaxis. British soldiers are currently serving, among other places, in Kabul, Afghanistan. The poor air quality in this area is something that cannot be easily mitigated, other than advising to minimise time spent outdoors. This article reviews the data from a self-reported questionnaire about the respiratory symptoms soldiers experienced while serving in Kabul. It appears that during their deployment up to 90% of soldiers experienced nasal congestion, among other things. A detailed air quality study in the capital of Afghanistan may help us to better understand the reported symptoms and, if attributed to the air quality, to help provide better advice to those soldiers in the future.