The Quality of Life of Mustard Gas Victims: A Systematic Review

BACKGROUND: Today, a host of veterans who were exposed to mustard gas suffer from substantially poor quality of life (QoL). However, factors that influence these patients’ QoL have not been yet scrutinized. QoL is deemed as a crucial construct that demands careful attention during evaluation as well as intervention. The present study aimed to delve into the physical, mental, and social factors that affect the QoL of mustard gas victims. MATERIALS AND METHODS: All the physical, mental, and social parameters that influence the QoL of mustard gas victims were scrutinized through a systematic review. We searched for Persian and English scientific databases, i.e., PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar, and national databanks, namely SID, IranMedex, and Magiran to identify studies related to chemical victims conducted up to the end of 2015. Next, the quality of 21 articles and studies were assessed using the checklist of the National Institute of Health (NIH), and subsequently, 13 articles were selected for the stages of data extraction and analysis. RESULTS: Findings revealed that, among the physical factors, coexistence of several medical conditions caused by chemical injury and the severity of the chemical injury had the greatest impact on the QoL of chemically injured veterans. Besides, suffering from psychological and neurological disorders, along with educational level and employment status, were the most influential psychosocial parameters that influenced veterans’ QoL. CONCLUSION: The review conducted herein identified the physical and psychosocial factors affecting the QoL of mustard gas victims. In fact, it is the first to present a large collection of descriptive information on QoL contributors in a systematic and orderly fashion.