Female veterans consistently have higher cancer rates than women who have never served in the military. A research letter recently revealed that their risks for specific cancers are affected by whether they suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI).
Arthritis Linked to Higher Risks of CVD, Mortality in Postmenopausal Women
Arthritis is a common chronic condition that increases with age, but it may pose greater health risks than previously recognized, particularly for those who did not serve in the military, a new study has suggested.
House Committee Leadership Accuses VA of ‘Misleading’ on Budget Shortfalls
An investigation by the VA Office of the Inspector General lays the blame for last year’s budget shortfall on a lack of up-to-date data, as well as delays by VA leaders to respond to signs that their budget was going to fall short.
Veterans Hospitalized for Substance-Use Disorder at High Mortality Risk After Discharge
Past research has revealed that patients who are hospitalized for substance-use disorders appear to have an elevated risk of death, but little information was available on when and why.
Difficult Decision: When Should Suppressive Antibiotic Therapy Be Used for VA Patients With Prosthetic-Joint Infections?
Clinical decisions in the VA about whether to administer suppressive antibiotic therapy for patients with prosthetic-joint infections are often emotionally charged due to limited evidence about benefits and risks and potential consequences such as reinfection or amputation, according to a recent study.
Polypharmacy Can Spur Transition From Healthy to Dementia, Other Conditions
Polypharmacy is considered both common and dangerous in older patients, and a new study offers some explanations for why.
Psilocybin Shows Promise for Improving Mood Dysfunction in Parkinson’s
Could a naturally occurring psychedelic compound be the remedy for mood dysfunction, which is highly prevalent in Parkinson’s disease (PD)?
PTSD Might Be Parkinson’s Disease Risk Factor
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) appears to be a risk factor for Parkinson’s disease (PD), according to a new study of veterans.
A Third of Type 1 Diabetes in Adults Misdiagnosed
A new review looked at adult-onset Type 1 diabetes and methods to improve screening and diagnosis.
OTC Magnesium Supplements Might Be Protective Against HF, Other CVDs
What is the effect of nonprescription magnesium supplements on the risk of HF or major adverse cardiac events in patients with diabetes?
Active Duty Servicewomen’s Use of Menopausal Hormone Therapy
The use of menopausal hormone therapy among active-duty servicewomen (ADSW) aged 45 to 65 is somewhat lower than in the veteran population of the same age but higher than among the U.S. general population in that age group, according to a new study.
VA Moving Ahead With Plans to Restart EHR Rollout Next Year
The Trump administration has announced that it will move ahead with VA’s existing plan to restart the electronic health record modernization (EHRM) rollout in spring 2026, beginning with four hospitals in Michigan.
New-Onset Diabetes After COVID-19 Infection Likely to Go Into Remission
As researchers continue to investigate the long-term effects of SARS-CoV-2, a new study utilizing VA data has uncovered an intriguing pattern: Individuals who developed new-onset diabetes after a COVID-19 infection were more likely to experience diabetes remission.
For Younger Veterans, ‘Camaraderie’ Is an Important Feature of VA Healthcare
With all of the political debate about the increasing privatization of VA care—the Trump administration and many Republicans pushing it, while many Democrats are resisting—the voice of one important stakeholder group might be drowned out.
VA Unions Fighting White House Order to Strip Collective Bargaining Rights
According to VA union leaders, President Donald Trump and VA officials are targeting unions involved in lawsuits against the administration, stripping millions of federal workers of collective bargaining rights, while rewarding those who stay silent.
Chronic Conditions Strongly Influence VA Use of Telehealth vs. In-Person Care
As telehealth continues to evolve from a pandemic-era necessity to a core component of modern care, a new national study of VA outpatient encounters revealed that the likelihood of a visit being conducted in person, by phone or via video might hinge on the patient’s chronic condition.
Hall Helped Develop Frailty Survey to Improve VA Surgery Outcomes
Daniel Hall, MD, MDiv, MHSc, noticed what many surgeons also have over the course of their careers: There was a small number of patients (5-10%) who, despite their surgeries going perfectly, experienced poor outcomes.
Veterans Know Better Than Anyone Else the Price of Freedom, for They’ve Suffered the Scars of War
Honestly, readers of this column do not need me to tell them that the removal of 80,000 VA employees will seriously degrade veterans’ health services. I am certainly not against the thoughtful application of reason to improve efficiency in any federal organization, including the VA. That said, the ‘loose cannon on a pitching deck’ government firings of the ad hoc DOGE have nothing to do with improving efficiency. Nobody reading this column voted for creating DOGE through their congressional representatives. There are correct ways to downsize government agencies through legislative action as government administration policies and priorities change. DOGE is not one of those processes.
Deaths From Bacterial Bloodstream Infections Significant in MHS Patients
The mortality burden associated with bacterial bloodstream infections is substantial in the MHS, with about 1 in 4 patients dying within 1 year of a bacterial bloodstream infection diagnosis, according to a recent study.
Small Set of Risk Factors Identified for Subsequent Veteran Suicide
The standardized suicide risk assessment that has been implemented across the VHA healthcare system appears to only identify a few concepts that are associated with subsequent suicide, including suicidal ideation, firearm access and preparatory behaviors, according to a recent study.
Fluoroquinolones Don’t Raise Risk of Aortic Aneurysm, Dissection After All
Fluoroquinolones (FQs) have long been a standard treatment for urinary tract infections (UTIs), offering effective relief for millions of patients worldwide.
VA Plans to Phase Out Gender-Affirming Care for Transgender Veterans
VA has announced that it will be phasing out gender-affirming care for veterans. This is being done, officials said, in response to President Donald Trump’s Executive Order 14168, which excludes transgender people from the government’s definition of gender.
HBV Patients With Diabetes at High Risk of HCC, Other Outcomes
Chronic hepatitis B patients who have two or more metabolic diseases have a significantly higher risk of cirrhosis, overall death and non-liver-related death
Deployed Vietnam Veterans Might Not Have Higher Risk of Bile Duct Cancer
For a half-century, Vietnam veterans have been assumed to have a greater risk of dying of cholangiocarcinoma (CCA), a form of bile duct cancer. A new study suggested that might not be the case, however.
Mailed Outreach for HCC Screening Is Cost-Effective
Mailed outreach significantly increased screening vs. visit-based screening in patients with cirrhosis who are at high risk for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
Congressional VA Committee Members Seek to Mitigate Staff Cuts
The Trump administration’s plan to cut approximately 80,000 employees from VA is receiving pushback from both Republicans and Democrats in Congress.
Military Surgeons Raise Alarm About Combat-Casualty Readiness
The current state of combat-casualty readiness in the military health system has degraded to the point where the country is unprepared to care for the casualties that would result from a major conflict, experts told Congress last month.
Automated Insulin Delivery Safe, Effective for Type 2 Diabetes
Automated insulin delivery (AID) outperformed continuous glucose monitoring alone in Type 2 diabetes patients treated with insulin, according to a new study.
Dietary Cholesterol Intake Directly Linked to Heart Attack Risk in Veterans
Veterans with a higher dietary intake of cholesterol are at increased risk of having a heart attack, according to a recent study that shows a direct link between dietary cholesterol intake and heart attack risk.
Sudden Cardiac Arrest Survival High in Military, but More Prevention Called For
Sudden cardiac arrest is a silent and often fatal event that strikes without warning, even among those in peak physical condition. In the civilian world, survival rates for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest are alarmingly low.
