Characterization and Comparison of Physical and Mental Health Profiles and Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Utilization Patterns among Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation Enduring Freedom Women Veterans in Puerto Rico versus the United States.

Research on the physical and mental health profiles and patterns of health care use among women veterans receiving health care from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) on the island of Puerto Rico is lacking. This cross-sectional study examines differences in physical and mental health conditions, and patterns of VA health care use, between women veterans of the Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation Enduring Freedom (OIF/OEF) era who were using VA facilities in Puerto Rico (n = 897) and those using U.S.-based VA facilities (n = 117,216) from 2002 to 2015. Results of fully adjusted logistic regression models revealed that OIF/OEF women in Puerto Rico had heightened risk for global pain-related disorders (i.e., any pain) (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 1.45; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.22-1.71), back pain (AOR, 1.83; 95% CI, 1.56-2.14), diabetes (AOR, 1.42; 95% CI, 1.03-1.95), hyperlipidemia (AOR, 3.34; 95% CI, 2.80-3.98), major depression (AOR, 1.78; 95% CI, 1.53-2.06), and bipolar depression (AOR, 1.66; 95% CI, 1.34-2.04). They also evidenced greater risk for a host of reproductive health conditions and had higher average annual use of VA health care than their U.S. counterparts. OIF/OEF women receiving VA health care in Puerto Rico evidenced a greater burden of physical illness, depression, and heightened use of VA health care services relative to their U.S. counterparts. Providers' increased awareness of the physical and mental health care needs of this population is warranted. Research efforts that help to identify efficient and effective strategies to provide culturally tailored and/or personalized health care for this population could also be useful.

Weitlauf JC ，Ortiz A ，Kroll-Desrosiers AR ，Quiñones Vázquez ME ，Cannell B ，Hernandez MNB ，Brandt C ，Mattocks K ... -  《-》

Gender differences in service utilization among Operations Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom, and New Dawn Veterans Affairs patients with severe mental illness and substance use disorders.

Severe mental illness (SMI) and substance use disorders (SUD) are among the more chronic and costly mental health conditions treated in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Service use patterns of returning veterans with SMI and SUD have received little attention. We examined gender differences in the utilization of VA services among a national sample of Operations Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom, and New Dawn (OEF/OIF/OND) VA patients with SMI, SUD, and their comorbidity (SMI/SUD) in their first year of established VA care (N = 24,166). Outpatient services and acute-residential stays were modeled using negative binomial and logistic regression, respectively. Among all diagnostic categories, men used outpatient services less often than did women, including primary care (adjusted rate ratio [ARR] = .71, 95% confidence interval CI [.68, .74]), mental health (ARR = .85, 95% CI [.80, .91]), and addiction (ARR = .91, 95% CI [.83, .99]) services. For emergency department (ED) and psychiatric inpatient services, gender interacted significantly with diagnosis. The combination of SMI/SUD compared to either SMI or SUD conferred greater risk of ED utilization among men than women (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 2.09, 95% CI [1.24, 3.51], and 1.95, 95% CI [1.17, 3.26], respectively). SMI versus SUD conferred greater risk of psychiatric inpatient utilization among men than women (AOR = 1.83, 95% CI [1.43, 2.34]). Our findings point to gender differences in outpatient and acute service utilization among OEF/OIF/OND VA patients with some of the more chronic and costly mental health conditions. Further investigation of health care utilization patterns is needed to understand factors driving these gender differences to ensure that veterans have appropriate access to the services they need. (PsycINFO Database Record

Painter JM ，Brignone E ，Gilmore AK ，Lehavot K ，Fargo J ，Suo Y ，Simpson T ，Carter ME ，Blais RK ，Gundlapalli AV ... -  《-》

Cigarette Smoking and Sociodemographic, Military, and Health Characteristics of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom Veterans: 2009-2011 National Health Study for a New Generation of US Veterans.

Cypel YS ，Hamlett-Berry K ，Barth SK ，Christofferson DE ，Davey VJ ，Eber S ，Schneiderman AI ，Bossarte RM ... -  《-》

Attitudes about the VA health-care setting, mental illness, and mental health treatment and their relationship with VA mental health service use among female and male OEF/OIF veterans.

Fox AB ，Meyer EC ，Vogt D 《-》

The quality of mental health care for veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Paddock SM ，Woodroffe A ，Watkins KE ，Sorbero ME ，Smith B ，Mannle TE Jr ，Solomon J ，Pincus HA ... -  《-》