In response to the August 2024 upsurge of mpox in the Democratic Republic of Congo and other Africa countries, the Defense Health Agency (DHA) has produced a new flyer: Mpox—What Servicemembers SHOULD KNOW.
Report Highlights the Needs and Importance of Military, Veteran Caregivers
More than 14 million Americans now provide daily care to wounded, ill or injured military servicemembers or veterans, according to a new RAND report commissioned by the Elizabeth Dole Foundation.
The work of epidemiology is related to unanswered questions, but also to unquestioned answers
Pam and I have been hanging out in central Maine at an ancestral lake cabin that has been in Pam’s family for over 100 years. We are fortunate to have this haven to retreat to as our lightning-struck boat/home is being repaired. I like hiking for exercise in the Maine woods, which occasionally necessitates moving through dense vegetation. Following one hike, I broke out in an incredibly itchy rash on my back and chest. It felt like I had rolled around in a field of poison ivy (which I decidedly did not), and the rash seemed to spread to new areas of my body as days passed.
Congress Doesn’t Address VA’s PACT Act-Related $12 Billion Shortfall
Before going on recess through mid-November, Congress passed a continuing resolution to keep the federal government funded through Dec. 20, 2024. That resolution, however, did not address the $12 billion shortfall in VHA’s FY 2025 budget,
Continued Issues, Absent Research in Breast Cancer Care for Women Veterans
Breast cancer remains a significant health concern, particularly among women veterans, who face unique challenges within the Veterans Affairs (VA) healthcare system.
Why Hasn’t More Community Care Improved Veteran Mortality Rates?
In 2014, Congress enacted the Choice Act, followed by the MISSION Act in 2018. Introduced in response to concerns that delays in receiving VA care were negatively impacting veterans, these legislations were designed to simplify the process for veterans to access VA-purchased care.
Unintended Pregnancy Accounts for Loss of Almost 2.5 Million Military-Readiness Days
Almost 45% percent of pregnancies in the United States are unintended, with an estimated 4.5% of reproductive age women having an unintended pregnancy each year.
Discontinuing SGLT2is, GLP-1 RAs Linked to Negative Outcomes in CKD Patients
Discontinuation of sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors and glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RA) is common but is associated with harmful outcomes in adults with chronic kidney disease (CKD), according to a recent study.
Overcoming Barriers to Veteran Participation in Outside-VA Cancer Clinical Trials
While clinical trials are essential for advancing treatment options in oncology and making certain patients receive innovative care, too few cancer patients are referred to them, according to a new study.
Care Access Doesn’t Explain Racial Disparities in Rectal Cancer
Does differential access to care explain racial disparities in treatment and outcomes of rectal cancer? A new study from the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences suggested that other factors are likely to be at play.
Pandemic Decreased Already Too Low Lung Cancer Screening Rates
A new study demonstrated how critically the COVID-19 pandemic affected lung cancer screening (LCS).
More Point-of-Care Testing in Military Could Help Curb STI Transmissions
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) affect an estimated 1 in 5 servicemembers, making early diagnosis and treatment important for controlling their spread among this high-risk population.
New Study Warns About Increased Antibiotic Resistance Against Third-Generation Broad-Spectrum Antibiotics in VA Facilities
VHA facilities across the United States have experienced a concerning rise in antibiotic resistance to third-generation cephalosporins, a class of broad-spectrum antibiotics commonly used to treat the Enterobacterales bacterial species.
Indeterminate Liver Nodules Have a High but Variable Risk of HCC
For more than a decade, the Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System (LI-RADS) has been used to standardize the interpretation and reporting of liver lesions in patients at high risk for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
Homelessness Substantially Increases Risk of Death in Veterans With CKD
U.S. veterans with a history of homelessness had a much greater risk of end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) and death, according to a new study, underscoring the role of housing as a social determinant of health.
Judge Requires VA to Build More Housing for Homeless in West Los Angeles
Last month, a federal judge provided an overwhelming victory to veterans who filed a class-action lawsuit against VA that sought to force the department to build more housing for homeless veterans on its West Los Angeles Medical Center campus.
Faulty Cell Function in Gulf War Illness Likely Caused By Exposure to Hazardous Agents
Veterans suffering from Gulf War illness (GWI), also known as Gulf War Syndrome (GWS), have faulty cell function that is likely caused by intense exposure to hazardous biological and chemical agents during war service, according to a new study.
GLP-1 RAs Promising for Reducing Cirrhosis, Mortality in Liver Disease Patients
Treatment with glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) showed promise in lowering the incidence of cirrhosis and mortality in veterans with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and diabetes, as long as the drug was initiated early in the course of the disease.
Surveys: Better HCC Surveillance Seen as Key to Improved Survival Rates
PALO ALTO, CA — Recent surveys found important gaps in knowledge and perceived barriers to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) surveillance in cirrhosis patients in the United States, especially with primary care providers. Even though hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)...
Legislators: Efforts to Smoothly Transition Servicemembers to VA Falls Short
Legislators took DoD and VA to task for their failures to ensure that servicemembers, especially those in need of mental health services, receive a warm handoff from one department to the other upon discharge.
Early Dialysis Leads to Modest Gains in Life Expectancy, Less Home Time
Older adults with reduced kidney function who start dialysis within 30 days and aren’t referred for transplant have modest gains in life expectancy and less time at home, according to a recent study.
Congress Passed a $3 Billion Emergency Funding Bill to Help VA’s Budget Shortfall
Congress passed an emergency funding bill providing an additional $3 billion to VA to address an unexpected shortfall in the FY2024 budget for the Veterans Benefits Administration.
Understanding Bispecific Antibodies for B-Cell Lymphoma Treatment
Bispecific antibodies represent a new approach to cancer immunotherapy that offers a two-for-one mechanism of action to increase efficacy in treating several types of lymphoma and multiple myeloma and other hematologic malignancies.
Much-Touted ATLAS Telehealth Booths Went Mostly Unused in Rural Areas
A recent report is calling into question the effectiveness of VA’s ATLAS program, a pilot telehealth initiative that places telehealth booths at non-VA community spaces in rural areas where veterans are more likely not to have access to high-speed internet. Veterans can use the booths to conduct telehealth appointments with VA providers.
Cholesterol Medication Ezetimibe Promising for Lowering Alzheimer’s Disease Risk
The mechanism through which heart disease elevates the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia (ADRD) has been investigated intensively.
What Is the Role of the X Chromosome in Alzheimer’s Disease Genetics?
The X chromosome makes up 5% of the human genome and carries a high proportion of genes expressed in the brain. Yet, it is a relatively unexplored as a potential source of genetic variation in AD, according to a new study.
Expert in Veteran Homelessness Helps VA Housing Programs Be More Effective
Few people understand the complexity of providing care to homeless veterans and those at risk for homelessness as well as Jack Tsai, PhD.
How PTSD, Cognitive Decline Affect Veterans’ Alzheimer’s Disease Biomarkers
While post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and subjective cognitive decline (SCD) are independent risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and dementia, the association of their interaction on AD biomarkers has not been clear.
Breaking Barriers in Kidney Care: Cynthia Delgado’s Pioneering Efforts Lead to More Equitable Transplantation Practices at the VA
For more than two decades, the calculation of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) — a critical measure of kidney function — included race as a variable.
Black Americans Have Less Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness, Despite Higher Risk
Older Black Americans are almost twice as likely as white Americans to be affected by Alzheimer’s and related dementias, with 21.3% of Black Americans aged 70 and older living with the disease.
