Mortality in Italian veterans deployed in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Kosovo

Background and Aims: The possible increase of cancer risk in military personnel deployed in Balkans during and after the 1992-1999 wars, mainly related to the depleted uranium, was addressed by several studies on European veterans of those war theatres. This article reports on the results of the mortality study on the Italian cohort of Bosnia and Kosovo veterans (Balkan cohort). Methods: Mortality rates for the Balkan cohort (71 144 persons) were compared with those of the Italian general population as well as to those of a comparable and unselected control cohort of not deployed military personnel (114 269 persons). Ascertainment of vital status during the period 1995-2008 of all the persons in the two cohorts has been carried out through deterministic record linkage with the national death records database, from information provided by the respective Armed Force General Staff, and through the civil registry offices of the veterans' residence or birth municipalities. Results: The Balkan cohort experienced a mortality rates lower than both the general population (SMR = 0.56; 95% CI 0.51-0.62) and the control group (SMR = 0.88; 95% CI 0.79-0.97). Cancer mortality in the deployed cohort group was half of that from the general population mortality rates (SMR = 0.50; 95% CI 0.40-0.62) and slightly lower if compared with the control group cancer mortality rates (SMR = 0.95; 95% CI 0.77-1.18). Conclusion: Balkan veteran cohort did not show any increase in general mortality or in cancer mortality.