Feasibility test of preference-based insomnia treatment for Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans.

Purpose: The study determined the feasibility of implementing a brief, preference-based non-medication insomnia treatment for Iraq/Afghanistan war Veterans who experienced blast and/or other injuries resulting in an altered level of consciousness.

Methods: The study used a one-group pre-post design with a 3-month follow-up assessment. Forty-one veterans (two females, mean age 30.

Insomnia treatment acceptability and preferences of male Iraq and Afghanistan combat veterans and their healthcare providers.

Sleep difficulty is a prevalent problem among returning Veterans. Although there is strong evidence for the efficacy and durability of cognitive-behavioral treatment for insomnia (CBT-I) in the general population, the interventions require motivation, attention, and adherence from patients to achieve successful outcomes. Given the unique characteristics of Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation Enduring Freedom (OIF/OEF) Veterans who have experienced blast-related injuries and other trauma, CBT-I for these patients may require modification, including alternative delivery methods, to ensure effective implementation and positive outcomes.

Timing and directions for administration of questionnaires affect outcomes measurement.

We used data from two pilot studies to compare the change in patients' self-reported health-related quality of life after participation in two nearly identical Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Blind Rehabilitation Center (BRC) programs, the Southwestern BRC in Tucson, Arizona, and the BRC at the VA hospital in Hines, Illinois. Researchers at the Southwestern BRC administered the National Eye Institute Visual Functioning Questionnaire as directed by the developer. Researchers at the Hines BRC modified the directions to consider use of low-vision devices.

Historical perspective on the development of outcomes measures for low-vision and blind rehabilitation in the Department of Veterans Affairs.

This article reviews the instrument development process and synthesizes current research findings for three low-vision and blind rehabilitation outcomes measures developed in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The examined measures include the Blind Rehabilitation Service Functional Outcomes Survey, the Functional Assessment of Self-Reliance on Tasks, and the VA Low Vision Visual Functioning Questionnaire. We examined vision rehabilitation literature using two fundamental measurement criteria to compare and contrast the instrument development process and research findings for the three measures.