Health and Health Care Use of American Indian/Alaska Native Women Veterans: A Scoping Review.

Background: American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) women serve in the U.S. military, use Veterans Health Administration (VA) health care, and reside in rural areas at the highest rates compared with other women veterans.

Home health utilization in the Veterans Health Administration: Are there rural and urban differences?

Purpose: Growing numbers of older adults need home health care, yhese services may be more difficult to access for rural Veterans, who represent one-third of Veterans Health Administration (VA) enrollees. Our objective was to examine whether home health use differs within VA based on rurality.

Methods: We examined national VA administrative data for 2019-2021 (January 1, 2019 to December 31, 2021) among Veterans ages ≥65 years.

National Survey of the Bone Densitometry Evaluation Process Within an Integrated Healthcare System.

Background: To assess the current state of bone mineral density evaluation services via dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) provided to Veterans with fracture risk through the development and administration of a nationwide survey of facilities in the Veterans Health Administration.

Methodology: The Bone Densitometry Survey was developed by convening a Work Group of individuals with expertise in bone densitometry and engaging the Work Group in an iterative drafting and revision process. Once completed, the survey was beta tested, administered through REDCap, and sent via e-mail to points of contact at 178 VHA facilities.

Incidence and risk factors for postpartum mood and anxiety disorders among women veterans.

Background: Our aim was to determine rates of postpartum mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs) among U.S. women Veterans and the overlap among PMADs.

Mortality Among US Veterans Admitted to Community vs Veterans Health Administration Hospitals for COVID-19.

Importance: Veterans Health Administration (VHA) enrollees receive care for COVID-19 in both VHA and non-VHA (ie, community) hospitals, but little is known about the frequency or outcomes of care for veterans with COVID-19 in VHA vs community hospitals.

Objective: To compare outcomes among veterans admitted for COVID-19 in VHA vs community hospitals.

Design, Setting, And Participants: This retrospective cohort study used VHA and Medicare data from March 1, 2020, to December 31, 2021, on hospitalizations for COVID-19 in 121 VHA and 4369 community hospitals in the US among a national cohort of veterans (aged ≥65 years) enrolled in both the VHA and Medicare with VHA care in the year prior to hospitalization for COVID-19 based on the primary diagnosis code.

Infertility Services for Veterans Enrolled in Veterans Health Administration Care.

Background: Infertility care is provided to Veterans through the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) medical benefits package and includes infertility evaluation and many infertility treatments.

Objective: Our objective was to examine the incidence and prevalence of infertility diagnoses and the receipt of infertility healthcare among Veterans using Veterans Health Administration (VHA) healthcare from 2018 to 2020.

Methods: Veterans using the VHA and diagnosed with infertility during October 2017-September 2020 (FY18-20) were identified in VHA administrative data and through VA-purchased care (i.

Examining Veterans' Experiences With In Vitro Fertilization Provided Under P.L. 114-223.

Background: Until recently, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical benefits package has expressly excluded in vitro fertilization (IVF) services for Veterans experiencing fertility problems. However, P.L.

Online Screening and Personalized Education to Identify Post-Deployment Mental Health Need and Facilitate Access to Care.

Introduction: Reserve and National Guard (RNG) service members face increased risks for psychological and behavioral problems and are unlikely to seek mental health (MH) care after returning from military deployments. This article examines an online intervention (Web-Ed) with regard to participation, screening results, satisfaction, and intent to seek follow-up MH care, with comparisons by gender and post-deployment MH care receipt.

Materials And Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of 414 RNG service members (214 women and 200 men), who returned from deployments to or in support of the Iraq or Afghanistan wars within the prior 36 months.

Lifetime infertility and environmental, chemical, and hazardous exposures among female and male US veterans.

Background: Veterans experience many potentially hazardous exposures during their service, but little is known about the possible effect of these exposures on reproductive health.

Objective: This study aimed to assess the association between infertility and environmental, chemical, or hazardous material exposures among US veterans.

Study Design: This study examined self-reported cross-sectional data from a national sample of female and male US veterans aged 20 to 45 years separated from service for ≤10 years.

Experiencing Sexual Assault and/or Stalking-Related Behavior is Associated with Binge Drinking and Substance Use Consequences in Deployed U.S. Servicewomen.

Background: Being deployed is a risk factor for poor postdeployment mental health outcomes in U.S. servicewomen, including harmful drinking.

Understanding VA's Use of and Relationships With Community Care Providers Under the MISSION Act.

Background: Congress has enacted 2 major pieces of legislation to improve access to care for Veterans within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). As a result, the VA has undergone a major transformation in the way that care is delivered to Veterans with an increased reliance on community-based provider networks. No studies have examined the relationship between VA and contracted community providers.

Partnership Forum: The Role of Research in the Transformation of Veterans Affairs Community Care.

Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text.

Developing network adequacy standards for VA Community Care.

Objectives: To inform how the VA should develop and implement network adequacy standards, we convened an expert panel to discuss Community Care Network (CCN) adequacy and how VA might implement network adequacy standards for community care.

Data Sources/study Setting: Data were generated from expert panel ratings and from an audio-recorded expert panel meeting conducted in Arlington, Virginia, in October 2017.

Study Design: We used a modified Delphi panel process involving one round of expert panel ratings provided by nine experts in network adequacy standards.

Associations Between Sexual Assault and Reproductive and Family Planning Behaviors and Outcomes in Female Veterans.

Objective: To examine the relationship between lifetime sexual assault (defined as someone having experienced sexual assault in their lifetime) and reproductive health care seeking, contraception usage, and family planning outcomes in female veterans.

Methods: We conducted a secondary analysis of data collected between 2005 and 2008 from computer-assisted telephone interviews with 1,004 female veterans aged 20-52 years who were enrolled at two Midwestern Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care systems. Participants were asked about reproductive, mental, and general health histories, and about lifetime sexual assault.

Lifetime History of Sexual Assault and Emergency Department Service Use among Women Veterans.

Background: Although sexual assault survivors are at increased risk for adverse physical and mental health outcomes and tend to use more health care services, little is known about women veterans' lifetime history of experiencing sexual assault (lifetime sexual assault [LSA]) and emergency department (ED) use. We sought to examine associations between experiencing LSA, mental health diagnoses, and ED use among women veterans.

Methods: Computer-assisted telephone interviews were conducted with 980 women veterans enrolled at two Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Centers to assess history of experiencing LSA, health care use, sociodemographic characteristics, and military history.

Factors Associated with U.S. Military Women Keeping Guns or Weapons Nearby for Personal Security Following Deployment.

The relationship between postdeployment health characteristics and U.S. military women and women Veteran's gun/weapons use for personal safety outside of military is not well understood.

Associations between Augmentee Status, Deployment Stress Preparedness and Depression, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, and Binge Drinking in U.S. Servicewomen.

Background: Being deployed without one's home unit (individual-augmentee) and low perceived deployment preparedness are risk factors for mental health symptoms and substance use in male service members. However, these relationships have not been examined specifically in U.S.

Infertility and Health-Related Quality of Life in United States Women Veterans.

To assess associations between infertility and health-related quality of life and medical comorbidities in U.S. women Veterans.

Sexual Assault in the Military and Increased Odds of Sexual Pain Among Female Veterans.

Objective: To examine whether the relationship between childhood sexual abuse and sexual function in civilian women is also found among female veterans, and to consider the additional effects of sexual assault in the military.

Methods: Using a retrospective cohort design, participants (N=1,004) from two midwestern Department of Veterans Affairs medical centers and associated clinics completed a telephone-assisted interview on sexual assault, sexual pain, and mental health. Binary logistic regression was used to compare the rates of sexual pain between women with no sexual assault history, histories of childhood sexual abuse alone, histories of sexual assault in the military alone, and histories of childhood sexual abuse and sexual assault in the military.

Recommendations for the Evaluation of Cross-System Care Coordination from the VA State-of-the-art Working Group on VA/Non-VA Care.

In response to widespread concerns regarding Veterans' access to VA care, Congress enacted the Veterans Access, Choice and Accountability Act of 2014, which required VA to establish the Veterans Choice Program (VCP). Since the inception of VCP, more than two million Veterans have received care from community providers, representing approximately 25% of Veterans enrolled in VA care. However, expanded access to non-VA care has created challenges in care coordination between VA and community health systems.