Racial health disparities in the United States are well documented, but the starkest are with reproductive health and outcomes, according to a VA researcher.
Survival Rates Trend Lower in Non-Hispanic Black Patients With Uterine Cancer
Disparities in survival exist between non-Hispanic Black and non-Hispanic white patients with uterine cancer. A new study from military researchers sought to determine why.
VA Study Shows Low Use of Primary Care for Reproductive Health Services
The integration of reproductive health services into primary care practices is increasingly recognized as critical to the advancement of patient-centered care and improving reproductive outcomes.
Quality Care Reduces Breast Cancer Survival Rate Disparities Based on Race
Though non-Hispanic Black women are more likely to have tumors at a higher grade and later stage and be diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer
Promotion Delays Affecting Military Readiness But Senator Won’t Budge
Delays in promotions directly impacts military readiness, DoD officials have said. But there isn’t much they can do about it as long as Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) is blocking the expedited promotion of more than 150 military generals and flag officers
Republicans Seek to Overturn VA Policy to Provide Abortion Services
Republicans in the House and Senate have reintroduced a resolution to reverse VA’s recent policy change that allows for limited abortion counseling and services at its facilities.
VA Spent Millions on HPV-Related Cancer But No Vaccination Promotion
Vaccinations for Veterans, Servicemembers Half of Civilian Rate ST. LOUIS—Eligible active-duty servicemembers and veterans have dramatically lower rates of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination, placing them at much greater risk of related cancers, according to a new...
VA Employee Sues Over VA’s Decision to Provide Abortion Services
When VA announced in September that it would be allowing department clinicians to provide abortions and abortion counseling in response to the overturning of Roe v. Wade, it was widely anticipated that there would be lawsuits from state governments that restrict abortion access.
Intimate Partner Violence More Common With Veterans, Military Personnel
VA should be doing more to identify and support victims of intimate partner violence (IPV), according to a recent VA Office of the Inspector General (OIG) report that also maintained that programs already in place are inconsistently implemented.
Republican Legislators Express Strong Opposition to VA Offering Abortion Services
VA officials believe that the overturning of Roe v. Wade in June and the subsequent enforcement of abortion bans in several states creates a clear danger to the health of women veterans.
DHA: Chlamydia Is the Most Common Sexually Transmitted Infection Among Active Duty U.S. Military Servicemembers
Chlamydia is the U.S. military’s most common sexually transmitted infection (STI) among active duty servicemembers, according to 2021 and 2022 reports on STIs by the Defense Health Agency’s Armed Forces Health Surveillance Division.
VA Adds Abortion Counseling, Limited Abortion Access to Health Services
The VA has expanded its health services to include access to abortion counseling and, in limited cases, abortion to veterans and VA beneficiaries, even when restricted by state laws.
Sexual Harassment Reporting Structure Might Change at VA
Despite concerns from agency watchdogs that VA’s sexual harassment reporting process has a perceived conflict of interest, if not an actual one, the department has resisted changing it.
VA OIG: Lack of Oversight Found in DO’s Sexual Abuse at Beckley VAMC
This is just the latest finding by the OIG that places blame for a recent criminal case on lack of VA oversight.
Arkansas VAMC Illuminates Bladder Cancer Using Blue Light Cystoscopy
Early-stage cancers can be very challenging to see, but finding them before they advance provides the best chance for curative treatment with the fewest complications.
The Role of Social Determinants in Cancer in Young Women
Oncology research continues to better understand and quantify the role that social determinants play in the development of cancers to help find ways to reduce the burden of cancer on society and individuals.
Women with Pathogenic Variants Excluded from Germline Testing after DCIS
Every year, 60,000 women in the United States receive a diagnosis of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), a noninvasive form of breast cancer. Accounting for one in five breast cancer diagnoses, DCIS has increased with the adoption of routine mammography, but it is far more than just an artifact of imaging.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Aging Women Tends to Differ From Men
Obstructive sleep apnea, a disorder associated with persistent collapse or narrowing of the upper airway during sleep, has been linked to several detrimental outcomes including excessive daytime sleepiness, high blood pressure, neurocognitive decline and metabolic disorders.
Smoking History Affects Overall Survival in Women With Breast Cancer
Largely because of its association with conditions such as lung cancer and cardiovascular/pulmonary diseases, cigarette smoking is the leading cause of preventable morbidity and mortality in the United States, with about 480,000 deaths each year attributable to the habit.
New Mothers at MHS Facilities Less Likely to Use Opioids
MHS patients are less likely to fill a prescription for opioids after delivery of a child than those receiving care from civilian facilities.
Expanded Role for MTFs Could Improve Obstetric Care in Underserved U.S. Areas
If military treatment facilities offered emergency cesarean delivery and other high-quality obstetric care to civilians in underserved areas of the United States, according to a new study, it would not only significantly improve the health of expectant mothers and their babies but also potentially improve military readiness.
MHS Patients Have Higher Breast Cancer Survival Rates Than U.S. in General
Accessibility to healthcare is an important determinant in cancer survival. Studies of patients in the military health system (MHS), which provides universal care to uniformed servicemembers, military retirees and family members, have shown higher survival rates for several forms of cancer compared to the general U.S. population. A new study has added breast cancer to that list.
Conference Highlights Concerns About Increased CV Risk Factors in Veterans
New research is adding to the evidence that veterans are at increased risk for cardiometabolic conditions and poor cardiovascular outcomes.
Criticism Continues About VA’s Handling of Military Sexual Trauma Claims
Has the VA improved its process of dealing with military sexual trauma, or are errors resulting in veterans being denied the care they need?
Committee Hearing: DoD/VA Transition Program for Women Not Enough
In recent years, both VA and DoD have worked to create transition services designed specifically for women servicemembers with the goal of providing information about VA care and closing the gap between when a servicemember is discharged and when they enroll for VA healthcare and benefits.
Knowing MST Background Can Help Improve Care for Veterans
Military sexual trauma is on the increase, and more and more data is linking it to serious physical health problems.
Anxiety Sensitivity Linked to PTSD Among Women Who’ve Experienced MST
Anxiety isn’t just mental. It can also cause physical symptoms, such as heart palpitations, sweaty palms or shortness of breath. Anxiety sensitivity reflects the belief that those bodily sensations are harmful and dangerous.
History of Self-Injury Linked to Higher Suicide Risk Among Veterans
The VA has put significant focus on reducing veteran suicide rates over the last decades. But what about those who hurt themselves while stopping short of taking their own lives?
Military Sexual Trauma Appears to Be a Risk Factor for Hypertension
Young and middle-age veterans who experienced sexual harassment and assault during military service are at an increased risk for hypertension and, potentially, its cardiovascular complications, a new study suggested.
Work Setting Strongly Affects Retention Rates for Women’s Health Providers
The delta variant’s march across America brought a crisis long in the making to the blazing front of the news—and made research coming out of the VA potentially beneficial for the wider health care industry.
