Browsing by Subject "Veterans health"

Now showing 1 - 5 of 5
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    A common language for Gulf War Illness (GWI) research studies: GWI common data elements
    (Elsevier, 2022) Cohen, Devra E.; Sullivan, Kimberly A.; McNeil, Rebecca B.; Gulf War Illness Common Data Elements Working Group; Symptoms Assessment Working Group; McNeil, Rebecca B.; Ashford, Wes; Bested, Alison; Bunker, James; Cheema, Amanpreet; Cohen, Devra E.; Cook, Dane; Cournoyer, Jeffrey; Craddock, Travis; Golier, Julia; Hardie, Anthony; Helmer, Drew; Lindheimer, Jacob B.; Janulewicz Lloyd, Patricia; Kerr, Kathleen; Krengel, Maxine; Nadkarni, Shree; Nugent, Shannon; Paris, Bonnie; Reinhard, Matthew; Rumm, Peter; Schneiderman, Aaron; Sims, Kellie J.; Steele, Lea; Turner, Marsha; Systems Assessment Working Group; Sullivan, Kimberly A.; Abdullah, Laila; Abreu, Maria; Abu-Donia, Mohamed; Aenlle, Kristina; Arocho, Jimmy; Balbin, Elizabeth; Baraniuk, James; Block, Karen; Block, Michelle; DeBeer, Bryann; Engdahl, Brian; Filipov, Nikolay; Fletcher, Mary Ann; Kalasinsky, Victor; Kokkotou, Efi; Lidie, Kristy; Little, Deborah; Loging, William; Morris, Marianna; Nathanson, Lubov; Nichols, Montra Denise; Pasinetti, Giulio; Shungu, Dikoma; Waziry, Paula; VanLeeuwen, Jon; Younger, Jarred; Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Medicine
    Aims: The Gulf War Illness programs (GWI) of the United States Department of Veteran Affairs and the Department of Defense Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program collaborated with experts to develop Common Data Elements (CDEs) to standardize and systematically collect, analyze, and share data across the (GWI) research community. Main methods: A collective working group of GWI advocates, Veterans, clinicians, and researchers convened to provide consensus on instruments, case report forms, and guidelines for GWI research. A similar initiative, supported by the National Institute of Neurologic Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) was completed for a comparative illness, Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS), and provided the foundation for this undertaking. The GWI working group divided into two sub-groups (symptoms and systems assessment). Both groups reviewed the applicability of instruments and forms recommended by the NINDS ME/CFS CDE to GWI research within specific domains and selected assessments of deployment exposures. The GWI CDE recommendations were finalized in March 2018 after soliciting public comments. Key findings: GWI CDE recommendations are organized in 12 domains that include instruments, case report forms, and guidelines. Recommendations were categorized as core (essential), supplemental-highly recommended (essential for specified conditions, study types, or designs), supplemental (commonly collected, but not required), and exploratory (reasonable to use, but require further validation). Recommendations will continually be updated as GWI research progresses. Significance: The GWI CDEs reflect the consensus recommendations of GWI research community stakeholders and will allow studies to standardize data collection, enhance data quality, and facilitate data sharing.
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    Contribution of patient, physician, and environmental factors to demographic and health variation in colonoscopy follow-up for abnormal colorectal cancer screening test results
    (Wiley, 2017-09-15) Partin, Melissa R.; Gravely, Amy; Burgess, James F., Jr.; Haggstrom, David; Lillie, Sarah E.; Nelson, David B.; Nugent, Sean; Shaukat, Aasma; Sultan, Shahnaz; Walter, Louise C.; Burgess, Diana J.; Medicine, School of Medicine
    BACKGROUND: Patient, physician, and environmental factors were identified, and the authors examined the contribution of these factors to demographic and health variation in colonoscopy follow-up after a positive fecal occult blood test/fecal immunochemical test (FOBT/FIT) screening. METHODS: In total, 76,243 FOBT/FIT-positive patients were identified from 120 Veterans Health Administration (VHA) facilities between August 16, 2009 and March 20, 2011 and were followed for 6 months. Patient demographic (race/ethnicity, sex, age, marital status) and health characteristics (comorbidities), physician characteristics (training level, whether primary care provider) and behaviors (inappropriate FOBT/FIT screening), and environmental factors (geographic access, facility type) were identified from VHA administrative records. Patient behaviors (refusal, private sector colonoscopy use) were estimated with statistical text mining conducted on clinic notes, and follow-up predictors and adjusted rates were estimated using hierarchical logistic regression. RESULTS: Roughly 50% of individuals completed a colonoscopy at a VHA facility within 6 months. Age and comorbidity score were negatively associated with follow-up. Blacks were more likely to receive follow-up than whites. Environmental factors attenuated but did not fully account for these differences. Patient behaviors (refusal, private sector colonoscopy use) and physician behaviors (inappropriate screening) fully accounted for the small reverse race disparity and attenuated variation by age and comorbidity score. Patient behaviors (refusal and private sector colonoscopy use) contributed more to variation in follow-up rates than physician behaviors (inappropriate screening). CONCLUSIONS: In the VHA, blacks are more likely to receive colonoscopy follow-up for positive FOBT/FIT results than whites, and follow-up rates markedly decline with advancing age and comorbidity burden. Patient and physician behaviors explain race variation in follow-up rates and contribute to variation by age and comorbidity burden. Cancer 2017;123:3502-12. Published 2017. This article is a US Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.
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    Effects of VHA Policy Directive 1163 on Acceptance and Employment Rates for Veterans with Substance Use Disorders Referred to VHA Vocational Rehabilitation
    (Sage, 2022-11-26) Sprong, Matthew E.; Hollender, Heaven; Pechek, Ashley A.; Forziat-Pytel, Kellie; Buono, Frank D.; Health Sciences, School of Health and Human Sciences
    Introduction: Research has shown that Veterans with Substance/Alcohol Use Disorders (SUDs/AUDs) are at a greater risk for employment-related issues (eg, lower labor force participation rates), and interventions such as Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) have been used as a tool to reduce employment obtainment and maintenance. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate acceptance rates and employment rates at closure for Veterans with SUDs/AUDs prior to the implementation of VHA Policy Directive 1163 (mandated that Veterans are not refused services based on prior or current SUD/AUDs). SUD/AUDs were coded to reflect DSM 5-TR criteria of active use and in-remission. Methods: Data from a VHA Vocational Rehabilitation program in the Veterans Integrated Service Network 12 network were obtained for the purpose of the current study. Results: Findings showed that Veterans with AUDs were less likely to be accepted for VR services prior and after implementation of VHA Policy Directive 1163. Conclusions: When examining active and inactive SUDs/AUDs, findings showed that implementation of VHA Policy Directive 1163 was not effective for Veterans with AUDs. One factor that was not explored but could explain disparities in program acceptance rates is duration of program entry. If a Veteran has a consult placed for VHA Vocational Rehabilitation services, and their program entry date (date accepted) is a significant duration, then perhaps Veterans with active AUDs start drinking again given that they are waiting for vocational assistance. Thus, it would be important to assist Veterans with active AUDs into services in a timely manner (perhaps prior them being discharged from SUD treatment).
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    Perceptions of event notification following discharge to improve geriatric care: qualitative interviews of care team members from a 2-site cluster randomized trial
    (Oxford University Press, 2021) Franzosa, Emily; Traylor, Morgan; Judon, Kimberly M.; Guerrero Aquino, Vivian; Schwartzkopf, Ashley L.; Boockvar, Kenneth S.; Dixon, Brian E.; Epidemiology, Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health
    Objective: To assess primary care teams' perceptions of a health information exchange (HIE) event notification intervention for geriatric patients in 2 Veterans Health Administration (VHA) medical centers. Materials and methods: We conducted a qualitative evaluation of an event notification alerting primary care teams to non-VHA hospital admissions and emergency department visits. Data were collected through semistructured interviews (n = 23) of primary care team physicians, nurses and medical assistants. Study design and analysis were guided by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR). Results: Team members found the alerts necessary, helpful for filling information gaps, and effective in supporting timely follow-up care, although some expressed concern over scheduling capacity and distinguishing alerts from other VHA notices. Participants also suggested improvements including additional data on patients' diagnosis and discharge instructions, timing alerts to patients' discharge (including clear next steps), including additional team members to ensure alerts were acted upon, and implementing a single sign-on. Discussion: Primary care team members perceived timely event notification of non-VHA emergency department visits and hospital admissions as potentially improving post-discharge follow-up and patient outcomes. However, they were sometimes unsure of next steps and suggested the alerts and platform could be streamlined for easier use. Conclusions: Event notifications may be a valuable tool in coordinating care for high-risk older patients. Future intervention research should explore the optimal amount and types of information and delivery method across sites and test the integration of alerts into broader care coordination efforts.
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    Regional data exchange to improve care for veterans after non-VA hospitalization: a randomized controlled trial
    (Biomed Central, 2019-07-04) Dixon, Brian E.; Schwartzkopf, Ashley L.; Guerrero, Vivian M.; May, Justine; Koufacos, Nicholas S.; Bean, Andrew M.; Penrod, Joan D.; Schubert, Cathy C.; Boockvar, Kenneth S.; Epidemiology, Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health
    BACKGROUND: Coordination of care, especially after a patient experiences an acute care event, is a challenge for many health systems. Event notification is a form of health information exchange (HIE) which has the potential to support care coordination by alerting primary care providers when a patient experiences an acute care event. While promising, there exists little evidence on the impact of event notification in support of reengagement into primary care. The objectives of this study are to 1) examine the effectiveness of event notification on health outcomes for older adults who experience acute care events, and 2) compare approaches to how providers respond to event notifications. METHODS: In a cluster randomized trial conducted across two medical centers within the U.S. Veterans Health Administration (VHA) system, we plan to enroll older patients (≥ 65 years of age) who utilize both VHA and non-VHA providers. Patients will be enrolled into one of three arms: 1) usual care; 2) event notifications only; or 3) event notifications plus a care transitions intervention. In the event notification arms, following a non-VHA acute care encounter, an HIE-based intervention will send an event notification to VHA providers. Patients in the event notification plus care transitions arm will also receive 30 days of care transition support from a social worker. The primary outcome measure is 90-day readmission rate. Secondary outcomes will be high risk medication discrepancies as well as care transitions processes within the VHA health system. Qualitative assessments of the intervention will inform VHA system-wide implementation. DISCUSSION: While HIE has been evaluated in other contexts, little evidence exists on HIE-enabled event notification interventions. Furthermore, this trial offers the opportunity to examine the use of event notifications that trigger a care transitions intervention to further support coordination of care. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02689076. "Regional Data Exchange to Improve Care for Veterans After Non-VA Hospitalization." Registered 23 February 2016.