Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is associated with substantial symptom burden, functional decline and frequent hospitalizations, making early palliative care an important component of comprehensive management.
Suicide is a pressing public health challenge in the United States, and veterans bear a disproportionate share of this burden. Although they represent less than 7% of the U.S. adult population, veterans account for about 14% of suicide deaths nationwide.
Women veterans are more likely than their civilian peers to experience mental health disorders, yet how those conditions affect preventive care—such as mammography—has been unclear.
As more women veterans turn to the VA for their healthcare, clinicians are seeing a shift in the types of cancers treated within the system, particularly breast and gynecologic cancers. But little is known about how women receiving cancer care in the VA compare to women with similar cancers in the general population. A new study has provided some answers.
For decades, transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP)—a surgical procedure that removes excess prostate tissue through the urethra to relieve urinary obstruction—has been regarded as the gold standard surgical treatment for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).
Hospital discharge represents a critical transition point for older adults, particularly for those managing chronic cardiovascular and metabolic conditions.
Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection continues to pose a significant public health challenge in the United States, even though effective antiviral treatments are available and known to slow disease progression, prevent liver failure and reduce the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
The VA is one of the largest integrated healthcare systems in the United States, serving nearly 8 million enrolled veterans. Yet, despite veterans’ elevated risk of skin disease and skin cancer, few national studies have examined who VA-affiliated dermatologists (VADs) are or where they practice.
For veterans with end-stage lung disease, the decision of where to pursue a lung transplant involves many practical and clinical considerations.
Tendinopathy, an overuse injury that affects the structure and function of tendons, is a significant concern for U.S. military servicemembers, particularly those just beginning their careers, a new study revealed.
Primary care clinicians are often the first point of contact for people living with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), yet little research has examined how PTSD treatments perform in routine primary care settings.
Antibiotics are essential for treating infections, but they can also disrupt the balance of bacteria in the gut, allowing harmful organisms such as Clostridioides difficile to multiply and lead to diarrhea. This disruption is one reason clinicians carefully consider which antibiotics to prescribe and for how long.
Rates of female permanent contraception procedures increased significantly across the Military Health System (MHS) after the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision—a June 2022 Supreme Court ruling that overturned the constitutional right to abortion established by Roe v. Wade and allowed individual states to set their own abortion laws.
Ibrutinib, a Bruton’s tyrosine kinase inhibitor (BTKi) widely used in the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and other hematologic malignancies, continues to demonstrate cardiovascular risks beyond the well-known complications of hypertension and atrial fibrillation, according to new data from researchers at the National Institutes of Health and Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences.
Deployment to a war zone can leave lasting marks not only on servicemembers, but also on the loved ones who support them.
Careful medication review might be just as critical as cancer treatment itself for older adults. A large study of nearly 400,000 veterans found that certain medications commonly prescribed to this population are associated with higher risks of frailty, hospitalization and death.
For many veterans, surgery to treat early-stage cancer marks the beginning of recovery. Yet, for some, it also brings an unexpected challenge: lingering opioid use long after the procedure is over.
When most people think of military casualties, combat injuries often come to mind. Yet, throughout history, the majority of threats to servicemember health have come not from the battlefield but from disease and nonbattle injuries (DNBI).
Accurate identification of drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE)—a severe form of epilepsy in which seizures continue despite treatment with multiple medications—is essential for improving outcomes. Yet, because DRE is not explicitly coded in medical records, many patients who could benefit from specialized care go unrecognized.
For decades, most research on Gulf War illness (GWI) has centered on neurological problems, fatigue and lower gastrointestinal (GI) issues. But a new study published in BMJ Open Gastroenterology shifts attention to an often-overlooked area—upper GI symptoms—revealing how common and impactful they are among Gulf War veterans.