Childbearing is not associated with young women’s long-term obesity risk

Contemporary childbearing is associated with greater gestational weight gain and post-partum weight retention than in previous decades, potentially leading to a more pronounced effect of childbearing on women’s long-term obesity risk. Previous work on the association of childbearing with women’s long-term obesity risk mostly examined births in the 1970s and 1980s and produced mixed results.OBJECTIVEWe estimated the association of childbearing and obesity incidence in a diverse, contemporary sample of 2,731 U.S. women.DESIGN AND METHODSPropensity-score (PS) matching was used for confounding control when estimating the effect of incident parity (1996 to 2001) on 7-year incident obesity (BMI≥30 kg/m2) (2001 to 2008).RESULTSIn the sample, 19.3% of parous women became obese while 16.1% of unmatched nulliparous women did. After PS matching without and with replacement, the differences in obesity incidence were, respectively, 0.0 percentage points (ppts) (95% CI: −4.7 to 4.7) and 0.9 ppts (95% CI: −4.9 to 6.7). Results were similar in analyses of prevalent parity and obesity in 2008 (n=6601) conducted to explore possible selection bias.CONCLUSIONSThese results imply that, in contemporary U.S. parous women in their late 20s and early 30s, childbearing may not increase obesity incidence

Comparative Effectiveness of Carotid Endarterectomy vs Initial Medical Therapy in Patients With Asymptomatic Carotid Stenosis

Importance Carotid endarterectomy (CEA) among asymptomatic patients involves a trade-off between a higher short-term perioperative risk in exchange for a lower long-term risk of stroke. The clinical benefit observed in randomized clinical trials (RCTs) may not extend to real-world practice. Objective To examine whether early intervention (CEA) was superior to initial medical therapy in real-world practice in preventing fatal and nonfatal strokes among patients with asymptomatic carotid stenosis. Design, Setting, and Participants This comparative effectiveness study was conducted from August 28, 2018, to March 2, 2020, using the Corporate Data Warehouse, Suicide Data Repository, and other databases of the US Department of Veterans Affairs. Data analyzed were those of veterans of the US Armed Forces aged 65 years or older who received carotid imaging between January 1, 2005, and December 31, 2009. Patients without a carotid imaging report, those with carotid stenosis of less than 50% or hemodynamically insignificant stenosis, and those with a history of stroke or transient ischemic attack in the 6 months before index imaging were excluded. A cohort of patients who received initial medical therapy and a cohort of similar patients who received CEA were constructed and followed up for 5 years. The target trial method was used to compute weighted Kaplan-Meier curves and estimate the risk of fatal and nonfatal strokes in each cohort in the pragmatic sample across 5 years of follow-up. This analysis was repeated after restricting the sample to patients who met RCT inclusion criteria. Cumulative incidence functions for fatal and nonfatal strokes were estimated, accounting for nonstroke deaths as competing risks in both the pragmatic and RCT-like samples. Exposures Receipt of CEA vs initial medical therapy. Main Outcomes and Measures Fatal and nonfatal strokes. Results Of the total 5221 patients, 2712 (51.9%; mean [SD] age, 73.6 [6.0] years; 2678 men [98.8%]) received CEA and 2509 (48.1%; mean [SD] age, 73.6 [6.0] years; 2479 men [98.8%]) received initial medical therapy within 1 year after the index carotid imaging. The observed rate of stroke or death (perioperative complications) within 30 days in the CEA cohort was 2.5% (95% CI, 2.0%-3.1%). The 5-year risk of fatal and nonfatal strokes was lower among patients randomized to CEA compared with patients randomized to initial medical therapy (5.6% vs 7.8%; risk difference, −2.3%; 95% CI, −4.0% to −0.3%). In an analysis that incorporated the competing risk of death, the risk difference between the 2 cohorts was lower and not statistically significant (risk difference, −0.8%; 95% CI, −2.1% to 0.5%). Among patients who met RCT inclusion criteria, the 5-year risk of fatal and nonfatal strokes was 5.5% (95% CI, 4.5%-6.5%) among patients randomized to CEA and was 7.6% (95% CI, 5.7%-9.5%) among those randomized to initial medical therapy (risk difference, −2.1%; 95% CI, −4.4% to −0.2%). Accounting for competing risks resulted in a risk difference of −0.9% (95% CI, −2.9% to 0.7%) that was not statistically significant. Conclusions and Relevance This study found that the absolute reduction in the risk of fatal and nonfatal strokes associated with early CEA was less than half the risk difference in trials from 20 years ago and was no longer statistically significant when the competing risk of nonstroke deaths was accounted for in the analysis. Given the nonnegligible perioperative 30-day risks and the improvements in stroke prevention, medical therapy may be an acceptable therapeutic strategy

State of Reproductive Health In Women Veterans – VA Reproductive Health Diagnoses and Organization of Care

Reproductive health (RH) is a critical part of health. For women, RH encompasses gynecological health throughout life, preconception care, maternity care, cancer care, and the interaction of RH with other mental and medical conditions. Reproductive Health is defined as a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-be­ing and not merely the absence of reproductive disease or infirmity. This definition highlights the importance of taking a health systems approach that integrates RH care issues and services with other aspects of care needed across the life course. The RH needs of women are shaped by their stages of life and life experiences. For women Veterans, their military experiences may influence their RH in important ways. Given the increasing numbers of women in the military and women Veterans, it is critical to understand key aspects of RH in this unique population of women. This first report of the State of Reproductive Health in Women Veterans provides an overview of the RH diagnoses of women Veterans utilizing the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care services, VA delivery of RH care, and a vision for RH in VA

Proceedings of the 13th annual conference of INEBRIA

CITATION: Watson, R., et al. 2016. Proceedings of the 13th annual conference of INEBRIA. Addiction Science & Clinical Practice, 11:13, doi:10.1186/s13722-016-0062-9.The original publication is available at https://ascpjournal.biomedcentral.comENGLISH SUMMARY : Meeting abstracts.https://ascpjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13722-016-0062-9Publisher's versio

Complementary and Integrated Health Approaches: What Do Veterans Use and Want

ObjectivesNon-pharmacological treatment options for common conditions such as chronic pain, anxiety, and depression are being given increased consideration in healthcare, especially given the recent emphasis to address the opioid crisis. One set of non-pharmacological treatment options are evidence-based complementary and integrative health (CIH) approaches, such as yoga, acupuncture, and meditation. The Veterans Health Administration (VHA), the nation's largest healthcare system, has been at the forefront of implementing CIH approaches, given their patients' high prevalence of pain, anxiety, and depression. We aimed to conduct the first national survey of veterans' interest in and use of CIH approaches.MethodsUsing a large national convenience sample of veterans who regularly use the VHA, we conducted the first national survey of veterans' interest in, frequency of and reasons for use of, and satisfaction with 26 CIH approaches (n = 3346, 37% response rate) in July 2017.ResultsIn the past year, 52% used any CIH approach, with 44% using massage therapy, 37% using chiropractic, 34% using mindfulness, 24% using other meditation, and 25% using yoga. For nine CIH approaches, pain and stress reduction/relaxation were the two most frequent reasons veterans gave for using them. Overall, 84% said they were interested in trying/learning more about at least one CIH approach, with about half being interested in six individual CIH approaches (e.g., massage therapy, chiropractic, acupuncture, acupressure, reflexology, and progressive relaxation). Veterans appeared to be much more likely to use each CIH approach outside the VHA vs. within the VHA.ConclusionsVeterans report relatively high past-year use of CIH approaches and many more report interest in CIH approaches. To address this gap between patients' level of interest in and use of CIH approaches, primary care providers might want to discuss evidence-based CIH options to their patients for relevant health conditions, given most CIH approaches are safe

Preventive Care Delivery After the Veterans Choice Program

IntroductionThe Veterans Choice Program expanded Veteran access to community care. The Veterans Choice Program may negatively impact the receipt of preventive care services owing to care fragmentation. This study assesses 10 measures of preventive care in Veterans with the Department of Veterans Affairs coverage before and after the Veterans Choice Program.MethodsThe study population included Veterans who responded to the National Health Interview Survey during the 2 time periods before and after Veterans Choice Program implementation: January 2011-October 2014 and November 2015-December 2018. Outcomes were preventive care services categorized as cardiovascular risk reduction (cholesterol monitoring, blood pressure monitoring, aspirin use), infectious disease prevention (influenza vaccination and HIV testing), and diabetes care (fasting blood glucose monitoring, podiatry visits, ophthalmology visits, influenza vaccination, and pneumonia vaccination). Two different analyses were conducted: (1) unadjusted and multivariable-adjusted pre-post analysis and (2) difference-in-differences analyses. Analyses were conducted in 2019.ResultsMeasures of cardiovascular risk reduction and influenza vaccination were not statistically different before and after Veterans Choice Program implementation using the 2 different analytic approaches. In unadjusted pre-post analysis, after Veterans Choice Program implementation, Veterans with Veterans Affairs coverage had increased HIV testing (66.1%‒75.4%, p=0.008), podiatry visits (22.4%‒38.3%, p=0.01), and ophthalmology visits (62.2%‒77.2%, p=0.02). Using multivariable adjustment for participant sociodemographic factors, Veterans Choice Program implementation was associated with higher odds of podiatry visits (AOR=2.28, 95% CI=1.24, 4.20, p=0.009) and ophthalmology visits (AOR=2.11, 95% CI=1.13, 3.94, p=0.02) among Veterans with diabetes. In difference-in-differences analyses, Veterans Choice Program implementation was associated with increased podiatry visits (AOR=2.95, 95% CI=1.49, 5.83, p=0.002) among Veterans with diabetes and Veterans Affairs coverage compared with that among those with other coverage types, but no statistically significant effect was observed for ophthalmology visits.ConclusionsVeterans with Veterans Affairs coverage and diabetes had an increase in podiatry visits after Veterans Choice Program implementation. There was no evidence that Veterans Choice Program implementation had a negative impact on the receipt of preventive care services among Veterans with Veterans Affairs coverage

Electroconvulsive therapy for major depression within the Veterans Health Administration

Objectives: Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is the most effective treatment for severe or treatment resistant depression; however, the lack of widely accepted methods for determining when ECT is indicated may contribute to disparities and variation in use. We examined receipt of ECT among depressed patients in the largest coordinated health system in the US, the Veterans Health Administration. Methods: Using administrative data, we conducted a multivariable logistic regression to identify individual clinical and sociodemographic predictors of receiving ECT, including variables of geographic accessibility to ECT, among patients diagnosed with major depressive disorder between 1999 and 2004. Results: 307 (0.16%) of 187,811 patients diagnosed with major depression received ECT during the study period. Black patients were less likely to receive ECT than whites (odds ratio 0.33; 95% confidence interval: 0.20, 0.55), and patients living in the South (OR: 0.71; 95% CI: 0.53, 0.95) or West (OR: 0.59; 95% CI: 0.42, 0.82) were less likely to receive ECT than patients living in the central US. Patients whose closest VA facility provided ECT had a higher likelihood of receiving ECT (OR: 3.02; 95% CI: 2.22, 4.10). Depressed patients with no major medical comorbidities were also more likely to receive ECT (OR: 2.42; 95% CI: 1.65, 3.55). Limitations: Findings are not adjusted for depression severity. Conclusions: ECT use for major depression was relatively uncommon. Race, US region, geographic accessibility, and general medical health were all associated with whether or not patients received ECT. Clinicians and health systems should work to provide equitable access and more consistent use of this safe and effective treatment

Substance Use Disorder-Related Disparities in Patient Experiences of Primary Care

Purpose: To assess disparities in primary care experiences for patients with a substance use disorder (SUD) diagnosis. Methods: We assessed differences in Veterans Health Administration (VA) primary care patients' experiences using data from the 2014 outpatient VA Patient-Centered Medical Home Survey of Healthcare Experiences of Patients (SHEP; N=286,026). We obtained patient demographics and diagnoses from VA electronic medical record data. Results: Patients with an SUD diagnosis reported worse experiences for 8 of 12 SHEP measures, including access, provider communication, and information received (p<0.05). Conclusion: Targeted strategies may be needed to ensure patients with SUD have favorable primary care experiences

Explaining racial-ethnic differences in hypertension and diabetes control among veterans before and after patient-centered medical home implementation.

Patient-centered medical homes (PCMH) are primary care delivery models that improve care access and population-level health outcomes, yet they have not been observed to narrow racial-ethnic disparities in the Veteran Health Administration (VHA) or other health systems. We aimed to identify and compare underlying drivers of persistent hypertension and diabetes control differences between non-Hispanic Black (Black) and Hispanic versus non-Hispanic White (White) patients before and after PCMH implementation in the VHA. Among Black and Hispanic versus White VHA primary care patients in 2009 (nhypertension = 26,906; ndiabetes = 21,141) and 2014 (nhypertension = 83,809; ndiabetes = 38,887), we retrospectively examined hypertension control (blood pressure<140/90) and diabetes control (hemoglobin A1c <9) obtained through random chart abstraction of patient health records nationally via VHA's quality monitoring program. We fit linear probability regression models, adjusting for age, gender, comorbidity, and socioeconomic status (SES). Blinder-Oaxaca and Smith-Welch decomposition methods were used to parse out explained and unexplained contributors to health disparity between racial-ethnic groups pre- and post-PCMH implementation. Compared to White patients, hypertension and diabetes control remained significantly lower for Black (-6.2%[0.4%] and -3.1%[0.6%], respectively; p's<0.001) and Hispanic (-1.4%[0.8%] and -4.0%[1.0%], respectively; p's<0.001) patients following VHA PCMH implementation. Most racial-ethnic differences (55.7-92.3%; all p<0.05) were not attributed to age, gender, comorbidity, and SES. The contribution of explained versus unexplained factors did not significantly change over time. While many explanations for persistent racial-ethnic disparities in disease control among veterans exist, our study did not find that it was due to an influx of "sick" or "socioeconomically vulnerable" patients into the VHA following PCMH implementation. Instead, unexplained differences may be due to differential healthcare and community experiences (e.g., discrimination). Understanding underlying pathways leading to health disparities will better inform policy and clinical interventions to improve PCMH care delivery to racial-ethnic minority patients in health systems