Deployer Particulate Exposure Index

All study subjects completed a detailed questionnaire that elicited information on military deployment‐specific exposures including frequency and intensity of exposure to particulate matter generated from burn pits, sandstorms, and diesel exhaust. We examined weighted respiratory hazards for participating deployers using a modification of a previously published exposure matrix (Zell‐Baran et al., 2019 (link)). Each participant's particulate matter inhalational exposure index was calculated using the following formula: (Months Deployed*Frequency of Exposure to Burn Pits in days/month) + (Months Deployed*Frequency of Exposure to Sandstorms in days/month) + (Months Deployed*Frequency of Exposure to Diesel Exhaust in days/month).