Cohort profile: Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry (AHOBPR).

The Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry (AHOBPR) was established by the Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense in response to United States Public Law 112-260 (2013). This registry ascertains and monitors health effects among veterans and service members who may have been exposed to airborne hazards during their military deployments.AHOBPR allows researchers to monitor health effects among veterans possibly exposed to airborne hazards during deployment and explore health effects with the goal of improving veteran care. Eligibility is limited to Veterans and service members who served in combat theaters specified in law, including areas relevant to perations: Desert Shield and Desert Storm; Iraqi Freedom; Enduring Freedom; and New Dawn. This cohort profile includes data on Veterans and service members (n=497,208) who enrolled in the AHOBPR and completed the online questionnaire 6/1/2014 - 9/20/2024. The online questionnaire captured deployment information, exposure and health concerns, health history, activity limitations, and additional risk factors that may affect a service member's health. The optional medical evaluation by a clinician documenting health status and concerns in a note template in the electronic medical record was completed for 174,247 (40.2%) participants.