Women veterans who participated in a peer-led, social support group showed improvements in well-being outcomes, including a greater sense of belonging, higher quality of life and decreased post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression, according to a recent study.
More Than 50 Years Later, Vietnam War Still Affects Veteran Health
More than a half-century after the United States escalated involvement in the Vietnam War by sending significant combat troops, veterans still face significant psychological and physical health challenges related to their employment.
2023-to-2024 XBB.1.5 COVID-19 Vaccines Weren’t Effective Over Long Term
Serious concerns were raised in a new VA study about the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines targeting the XBB.1.5 Omicron variant, which were introduced in September 2023.
High Plantar Fasciopathy Rates in U.S. Military
U. S. armed forces have high rates of ankle and foot injuries and mean medical and personnel costs for the DoD.
Veterans’ White-Matter Volume Affected by Physical Activity Level
Trauma exposure affects cardiovascular, cerebral and mental health, causing declines.
PTSD in Veterans With HIV Leads to More Antiretroviral Therapy Nonadherence
In veterans with HIV, having post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) increased the likelihood of being nonadherent with their HIV treatment and requiring modification to their HIV treatment, according to a recent study.
Updated VA/DOD Stroke Rehabilitation Guidelines Enhance Patient Care
Revised treatment algorithms, 24 new recommendations and an expanded literature review on complementary and integrative health (CIH) approaches
VA Committee Hears About Challenges Getting Community Mental Healthcare
The Republican focus on further expanding VA-funded community care has been fueled, in part, by reports from veterans and service organizations detailing the hurdles they have had to go through to obtain care for themselves or their clients.
CVD, CKD Combine to Increase Surgical Mortality
What are the interactive effects of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) on long-term mortality following major operations?
How Different Heart Failure Types Are Affected by CKD
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is defined by the KDIGO (Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes) guideline as abnormal kidney structure or function, present for more than 3 months, with implications for health.
Decreasing Renal Function Affects PAD Treatment
What is the impact of the severity of chronic kidney disease (CKD) on mortality and major adverse limb events (MALE) after endovascular revascularization of the superficial femoral artery (SFA)?
Factors Linked to Major CVD Events in Veteran Postmenopausal Women
In contrast to the civilian population, certain indicators of socioeconomic status, such as education, occupation, household income and neighborhood socioeconomic status, aren’t significantly linked to major cardiovascular disease events in postmenopausal women veterans, according to a recent study.
A Quarter of U.S. Veterans Older Than 60 Have Been Diagnosed with CVD
One in 4 U.S. veterans age 60 and older have reported being diagnosed with cardiovascular disease at some point, which has potential implications for their physical and mental health, according to a recent study.
VA Study Underscores the Urgent Need for Clear Guidelines on Treating Chronic Pain
A new VA-led study underscored the urgent need for clear guidelines on how best to treat chronic pain, especially when it comes to prescribing opioid pain medications.
SGLT2i Use Linked to Higher Risk of Amputations in Diabetes Patients
More than 30 million U.S. adults—including approximately 25% of veterans—have diabetes, putting them at increased risk of heart disease.
VA Experts Push for Consistency, Innovation in Bladder Cancer Care
Bladder cancer, recently designated as a presumptive condition for Gulf War and Post-9/11 veterans, per the PACT Act, is the third most prevalent noncutaneous cancer among veterans, following prostate and lung cancer.
Impulse Oscillometry Not Recommended for First-Line Airway Obstruction Evaluation After Deployment
When evaluating airway obstruction in military personnel after deployment, impulse oscillometry (IOS) may serve as an additional diagnosis tool, but it can’t replace the reliability of the standard spirometric evaluation, according to a recent study.
Rural Veterans Have Less Access to Crucial COPD Therapies Post-Discharge
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, a group of progressive and complex conditions that affect the lungs, require a comprehensive treatment approach.
Oral, Intravenous Antibiotics, Both Effective in Treating Fracture-Related Infection
Both oral and intravenous antibiotics are effective after fracture-related infection (FRI), a serious complication following fracture fixation surgery, according to a recent study.
Martin Focuses on Improving Sleep-Disorder Treatment for Veterans
We spend approximately one-third of our lives asleep, but it’s only been in the last couple of decades that the medical community has begun to understand in detail just how important sleep can be to our lives.
A Range of Factors Put Veterans at Higher Colorectal Cancer Risk
Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains a major health threat in the United States, ranking as the fourth most common cancer among men and women combined.
VA Offers Pathway through First-Line Treatment Options for mCRC
The VA diagnoses approximately 4,000 new CRC cases annually. More than half of people with CRC either have metastatic disease at diagnosis or will develop it
The Importance of Hyperselection in Treating Metastatic CRC
Recent research in metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) demonstrates that personalized therapy outperforms broad approaches to treatment of this challenging malignancy in federal medicine and elsewhere.
Staying Ahead of EFGR Dermatological Toxicities in CRC
Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitors such as panitumumab are pivotal in treating metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) patients with wild-type KRAS mutations in the first, second and third lines, especially in patients with wild-type RAS genes.
New Treatment Options Extend Survival for Veterans with DLBCL
Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most prevalent subtype of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), characterized by its aggressive nature.
Exposures Increase DLBCL Risks for Veterans, Servicemembers
Exposure to a wide range of chemicals and radiation has long been known to increase the risk of developing diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL).
Survival Improving for Most Common Lymphoma Diagnosed in Veterans
Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common type of lymphoma diagnosed in active-duty servicemembers and veterans. Fortunately, advances in understanding of the disease are leading to more targeted and effective therapies and improved survival rates.
Chemoprophylaxis Is Likely Safe if Started 72 Hours After TBI, but Evidence Lacking for Earlier Use
Prophylaxis for venous thromboembolism (VTE) is crucial in people who have had traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), due to their heightened risk caused by immobility, inflammation and coagulation system activation.
Opioid-Use Disorder Prevalence Declined Since 2017, Especially in Black, Hispanic and Younger Veterans
After peaking at 1.16% in 2017, the prevalence of opioid-use disorder (OUD) among VHA patients declined steadily and was 0.97% in 2022, the most recent date for which data is available.
Soft-Tissue Sarcoma Rates Higher in Middle-Aged Servicemembers
While the incidence rates of soft-tissue sarcomas are lower in young U.S. active-duty military servicemen compared with those in the general population, according to a new study, those are higher in middle-aged servicemen, possibly because of greater cumulative exposure to toxins.
