Table 3 Summary of self-reported symptoms/diseases among GWV by GWS status (ordered by frequency of reported ill health categories among GWS)

All reporting ≥ 1 new symptom /disease since 1990

1,260 (97.2)

7,929 (84.0)

4,830 (39.1)

48.2 (34.5–67.4)***

8.0 (7.5–8.6)***

Mental and behavioural disorders

775 (59.8)

3,076 (32.6)

793 (6.4)

18.3 (15.9–21.0)***

6.6 (6.0–7.1)***

   Memory loss / lack of concentration

295 (22.8)

1,249 (13.2)

274 (2.2)

12.1 (10.0–14.7)***

6.6 (5.7–7.5)***

   Mood swings / aggression / irritability

327 (25.2)

1,147 (12.2)

214 (1.7)

16.1 (13.2–19.7)***

6.9 (5.9–8.0)***

   Anxiety / stress / sleep disturbance

220 (17.0)

769 (8.1)

213 (1.7)

10.8 (8.7–13.5)***

4.7 (4.1–5.6)***

   Depression

245 (18.9)

613 (6.5)

137 (1.1)

16.1 (12.7–20.4)***

5.5 (4.5–6.6)***

   PTSD and associated symptoms (mentioned specifically)

91 (7.0)

116 (1.2)

21 (0.2)

34.9 (20.8–58.7)***

6.4 (4.0–10.5)***

   Sexual dysfunction / lack of sex drive

42 (3.2)

123 (1.3)

27 (0.2)

13.1 (7.7–22.3)***

6.4 (4.2–9.9)***

   Other psychiatric / psychological disorders NOS³

93 (7.2)

237 (2.5)

47 (0.4)

14.7 (10.0–21.7)***

5.7 (4.1–7.9)***

Musculo-skeletal & connective tissue disorders

500 (38.6)

2,118 (22.4)

1,156 (9.4)

5.3 (4.6–6.1)***

2.6 (2.4–2.9)***

   Skeletal & other muscular symptoms

441 (34.0)

1,944 (20.6)

1,107 (9.0)

4.5 (3.9–5.2)***

2.5 (2.3–2.7)***

   Muscular pain / weakness (mentioned specifically)

122 (9.4)

265 (2.8)

68 (0.6)

16.2 (11.7–22.5)***

5.1 (3.9–6.7)***

Fatigue

462 (35.7)

1,742 (18.5)

397 (3.2)

15.4 (13.1–18.2)***

6.9 (6.1–7.7)***

   General fatigue

405 (31.3)

1,707 (18.1)

389 (3.2)

13.1 (11.1–15.5)***

6.8 (6.1–7.7)***

   Chronic fatigue syndrome / ME (mentioned specifically)

57 (4.4)

35 (0.4)

8 (0.1)

65.3 (29.4–145.1)***

6.1 (2.8–13.5)***

Other symptoms NOS ³

407 (31.4)

1,720 (18.2)

908 (7.3)

5.4 (4.7–6.3)***

2.8 (2.6–3.1)***

Nervous system disorders

373 (28.8)

1,284 (13.6)

415 (3.4)

10.0 (8.4–11.8)***

4.1 (3.6–4.6)***

   Headaches

266 (20.5)

958 (10.2)

308 (2.5)

8.7 (7.2–10.6)***

3.9 (3.4–4.5)***

   Numbness / tingling / dizziness

101 (7.8)

270 (2.9)

82 (0.7)

9.4 (6.8–12.9)***

4.0 (3.1–5.2)***

   Epilepsy

12 (0.9)

30 (0.3)

9 (0.1)

13.0 (5.0–34.1)***

3.5 (1.6–7.5)**

   Other neurological and neuromuscular problems NOS³

61 (4.7)

114 (1.2)

36 (0.3)

14.3 (9.1–22.5)***

4.2 (2.8–6.2)***

Skin allergies

242 (18.7)

994 (10.5)

531 (4.3)

4.9 (4.1–5.9)***

2.5 (2.3–2.8)***

Digestive, stomach & intestinal disorders

194 (15.0)

813 (8.6)

355 (2.9)

5.5 (4.5–6.7)***

3.2 (2.8–3.7)***

Respiratory disorders

194 (15.0)

860 (9.1)

400 (3.2)

5.1 (4.2–6.2)***

3.0 (2.6–3.4)***

   Asthma

71 (5.5)

342 (3.6)

188 (1.5)

3.8 (2.8–5.1)***

2.5 (2.1–3.0)***

   Respiratory problems NOS³

128 (9.9)

540 (5.7)

222 (1.8)

5.6 (4.4–7.2)***

3.2 (2.7–3.8)***

Infection

164 (12.7)

1,102 (11.7)

609 (4.9)

2.9 (2.4–3.5)***

2.6 (2.4–2.9)***

   Chronic / frequent infection

122 (9.4)

842 (8.9)

372 (3.0)

3.5 (2.8–4.4)***

3.3 (2.9–3.7)***

   Single episodes of acute infection

55 (4.2)

319 (3.4)

253 (2.1)

2.2 (1.6–3.0)***

1.8 (1.5–2.1)***

Endocrine, nutritional and metabolic disorders

116 (9.0)

366 (3.9)

134 (1.1)

7.4 (5.6–9.8)***

3.4 (2.8–4.2)***

   Hormonal imbalance / problems

14 (1.1)

36 (0.4)

20 (0.2)

7.0 (3.3–14.8)***

2.4 (1.4–4.2)***

   Diabetes

8 (0.6)

29 (0.3)

20 (0.2)

3.3 (1.4–7.9)***

2.0 (1.1–3.6)*

   Weight gain / loss

95 (7.3)

306 (3.2)

95 (0.8)

8.0 (5.8–10.9)***

3.9 (3.1–4.9)***

Deterioration in general health

92 (7.1)

494 (5.2)

256 (2.1)

3.2 (2.5–4.2)***

2.5 (2.1–2.9)***

   General deterioration of eyesight / hearing

53 (4.1)

310 (3.3)

212 (1.7)

2.2 (1.6–3.0)***

1.9 (1.5–2.2)***

   General decline in fitness / health

41 (3.2)

191 (2.0)

45 (0.4)

8.3 (5.1–13.5)***

5.7 (4.1–8.0)***

Cardiovascular disorders

90 (6.9)

344 (3.6)

237 (1.9)

3.8 (2.9–5.0)***

2.1 (1.8–2.5)***

Genito-urinary system disorders

77 (5.9)

238 (2.5)

143 (1.2)

5.3 (3.9–7.2)***

2.3 (1.8–2.8)***

   Genital system & bladder problems⁴

46 (3.6)

150 (1.6)

79 (0.6)

6.1 (4.0–9.2)***

2.7 (2.0–3.6)***

   Kidney disease / symptoms

35 (2.7)

101 (1.1)

68 (0.6)

4.4 (2.8–6.9)***

1.9 (1.4–2.6)***

Night sweats / excessive sweating / "fevers"

77 (5.9)

185 (2.0)

49 (0.4)

13.7 (9.2–20.2)***

4.7 (3.4–6.5)***

Chest pains / tightness (not elsewhere classified)

56 (4.3)

253 (2.7)

87 (0.7)

5.5 (3.8–7.9)***

3.3 (2.6–4.3)***

Auto-immune disease

37 (2.9)

136 (1.4)

64 (0.5)

5.2 (3.3–8.1)***

2.8 (2.1–3.8)***

Allergies other than skin

31 (2.4)

197 (2.1)

136 (1.1)

2.7 (1.8–4.1)***

2.2 (1.7–2.8)***

Cancer ⁵

19 (1.5)

61 (0.7)

42 (0.3)

5.1 (2.8–9.2)***

2.3 (1.5–3.4)***

Accidental injury

14 (1.1)

128 (1.4)

146 (1.2)

0.9 (0.5–1.5)

1.1 (0.8–1.4)