Publications and Research
- OHE Research Publications
- Chartbooks on Veterans Health
- American Journal of Public Health Supplemental Issue 2014
- American Journal of Public Health & Veterans Health Equity Collection Page
- OHE Transgender Veterans Protocol
- Health Disparities Evidence-based Synthesis Reviews
- VA Health Services Research & Development Publication Briefs
- External Research and Reports
- COVID-19 Equity at the VA Bibliography
- VHA COVID-19 Equity Response Report
OHE Information Briefs and Fact Sheets
Information Briefs- Access to Care Among Rural Veterans
- Addressing Barriers to Care in Veterans at Risk for HIV - NEW December 2023
- Addressing Diet Quality and Food Needs of Veterans
- Addressing Social Needs in Women's Healthcare Settings - NEW March 2024
- Addressing Veteran Mobility Limitations with VA Video Connect and other Virtual Solutions
- Addressing Unconscious Biases to Advance Veteran Health Equity
- Age Disparities Among Veterans in Meeting Current Exercise Guidelines - NEW January 2024
- Alcohol Use Disorder Disparities Among Transgender Veterans
- Alcohol Use Disorder Treatment Disparities and New Approaches to Promote Equity During Treatment
- American Indian and Alaska Native Veterans Colorectal Cancer Screening
- American Indian and Alaska Native Veterans Telehealth - NEW November 2023
- Asian American Veterans Disparities
- Bridging Housing and Healthcare for Older Homeless Veterans
- Building Trust to Advance Veteran Health Equity
- Chronic Kidney Disease and Dialysis in Veterans
- Coronavirus in Rural and Urban Areas: Implications for Veterans
- Depression Complicating Diabetes Among Veterans
- Diabetes Disparities in Hispanic or Latino LGBQ+ Veterans
- Differences in Cardiovascular Disease Mortality & Home-Based Cardiac Rehabilitation
- Differences in COVID-19 Vaccination Rates in Women Veterans
- Differences in Disability Rates and Recreation Therapy Use
- Differences in Stroke Mortality & Home-Based Exercise Monitoring
- Ensuring Food Security in Veterans
- Ensuring Rural Veterans Have Access to Care & Research
- Heart Disease Disparities in Black Veterans Compared to Black Non-Veterans
- Health Disparities Among LGBT Veterans
- Health Disparities Among LGBT Women Veterans
- Health Disparities and Work Limitations Among Female LGB Veterans
- Health Literacy to Achieve Health Equity in Minority Veterans
- Hepatitis C Treatment in Minority Veterans
- Hispanic Veterans and Smoking Cessation
- Improving Access to Mental Health Care for Hispanic/Latino Veterans
- Improving Blood Pressure in Black Veterans
- Improving Care Through Visibility for LGBTQ+ Veterans
- Improving Patient-Provider Communication to Improve Black Veterans' Treatment of Chronic Pain
- Increasing Diversity in Recruitment and Advancement Across VA to Achieve Equitable Care and Outcomes
- Increasing Health Literacy To Achieve Health Equity in Older Veterans
- Justice Involved Veterans and Treatment Court
- Kidney Disease in Veterans
- Lactation Support and Maternity Care Coordination
- Meeting Physical Activity Guidelines Among LGB Veterans
- National Veteran Health Equity Report: Colorectal Cancer Screening
- Overcoming Financial Barriers to Meeting Exercise Guidelines
- Person-Centered Care Among Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander Veterans
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Criminal Legal System-Involved Veterans
- Prevalence of Heart Disease in Sexual Minority Veterans
- Prevalence of Obesity Among Sexual Minority Veterans
- Racial Disparities in Pregnancy Outcomes
- Racial and Ethnic Differences in Exercise Use & National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic
- Rates of Hypertension by Race or Ethnicity in Veterans Receiving Care at VA - NEW February 2024
- Reducing Disparities and Barriers in Access to Care Impacting Hispanic and Latino Veterans
- Reducing Racial Disparities in Blood Pressure Control in Veterans with Severe Hypertension
- Risks of Severe COVID-19 with Increased BMI
- Routine Screening of Veterans for Digital Needs
- Screening for Food Insecurity in Veterans
- Telehealth Disparities
- Tobacco Use in Women Veterans and Treatment Resources to Promote Equity
- Traumatic Brain Injury Disparities
- Trends in Coronavirus in Rural Areas: Implications for Veterans
- VHA's Expansion of Women and Gender-Diverse Reproductive Health Care Services
- Women Veterans and the Flu
- Women Veterans and Healthy Living
- Women Veterans and Pregnancy Complications
- VHA Office of Health Equity / QUERI National Partnered Evaluation Center
- Identifying and Addressing Health-Related Social Needs Amongst Veterans
- LGBT Mental Health Disparities Fact Sheet
- Asian American Veterans Disparities Fact Sheet
- Opioid Use Disorder Among Justice-Involved Veterans Fact Sheet
- Health Care Decisions Disparities Fact Sheet
- Traumatic Brain Injury Disparities Fact Sheet
- African American Women Heart Disease Disparities Fact Sheet
- American Indian/Alaska Native Veterans Fact Sheet
- Hispanic Veterans Fact Sheet
- Obesity Disparities Fact Sheet
- Telehealth Disparities Fact Sheet
OHE Research Publications
- Breland, J. Y., Phibbs, C. S., Hoggatt, K. J., Washington, D. L., Lee, J., Haskell, S., Uchendu, U. S., Saechao, F. S., Zephyrin, L. C., Frayne, S. M. (2017). The Obesity Epidemic in the Veterans Health Administration: Prevalence Among Key Populations of Women and Men Veterans. Journal of General Internal Medicine.
- Loganathan, S. K., Hasche, J. C., Koenig, K. T., Haffer, S. C., Uchendu, U. S. (2017). Racial and Ethnic Differences in Satisfaction with Care Coordination Among VA and non-VA Medicare Beneficiaries. Health Equity, 1(1): 50-60.
- Sharpe, V. A., Uchendu, U. S. (2014). Ensuring Appropriate Care of LGBT Veterans in the Veterans Health Administration. Hastings Center Report 44, no. 5: S53-S55.
- Uchendu, U. S., Omalu, B. I., Cifu, D. X., Egede, L. E. (2016). Repeated Concussions: Time to Spur Action Among Vulnerable Veterans. American Journal of Public Health, 106(8): e1-e2.
- Washington DL, Steers WN, Huynh AK, Frayne SM, Uchendu US, Riopelle D, Yano EM, Saechao FS, Hoggatt KJ. (2017) Racial And Ethnic Disparities Persist At Veterans Health Administration Patient-Centered Medical Homes. Health Affairs, 36(6):1086-1094.
- Wehrer, M. R., M. A. Tomlinson, K. T. Jones, and U. S. Uchendu. (2016). Local bidirectional data-sharing collaboration to end veteran homelessness: The Erie model. Discussion Paper, National Academy of Medicine, Washington, DC.
Chartbooks on Veterans Health
- American Indian or Alaska Native Veteran Chartbook
- Asian and Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander Veteran Chartbook
- Black Veteran Chartbook
- Chartbook on the Health of Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Veterans
- Chartbook on Healthcare for Veterans
- Primary Healthcare Experiences of Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Veterans
- Hispanic and Latino Veteran Chartbook
American Journal of Public Health & Veterans Health Equity Collection Page
In partnership with OHE, the American Journal of Public Health (AJPH) is maintaining a collection of AJPH articles and related VA resources that address health disparities among vulnerable Veterans. This effort stems from the VA Health Equity Supplement published by AJPH in August of 2014. That supplement included over twenty articles, comprising editorials and peer reviewed research articles and briefs specific to Health Equity and Veterans. Two articles from this supplement were the highest read papers in 2014. Additionally, four papers were in the Top 20, six papers total in the Top 50, and had 11 of the Top 100 highest read papers. Overall, the supplement issue was the second most-read issue of 2014. As of October, 2015 it was accessed 20,206 times since its release in August 2014. In comparison, the January 2014 AJPH Issue was only accessed 9,000 times in 12 months. The Veterans Health Equity Collection Page is available by visiting: http://ajph.aphapublications.org/topic/vaheathequity.
American Journal of Public Health Supplemental Issue 2014
The Office of Health Equity (OHE) teamed up with the American Journal of Public Health to bring focus to health equity issues on our nation's Veterans through the release of the VA Health Equity Supplement. The Supplement was released online with open access to all on August 6, 2014. The Supplement includes over twenty articles, comprising editorials and peer reviewed research articles and briefs specific to health equity and Veterans. The articles focus on improving the understanding of the root causes of health and health care disparities and reducing/eliminating such disparities among vulnerable Veteran populations. Access full content on the following link: http://ajph.aphapublications.org/toc/ajph/104/S4.
- Jesse, R. L. (2014). Advancing the Elimination of Health Disparities in Veterans Through Quality, Access, and Equity. American Journal of Public Health, 104(S4): S510.
- Uchendu, U. S. (2014). Institutional Journey in Pursuit of Health Equity: Veterans Health Administration’s Office of Health Equity. American Journal of Public Health, 104(S4): S511-S513.
- Ibrahim, S. A., Egede, L. E., Uchendu, U. S., Fine, M. J. (2014). The Struggle for Health Equity: The Sustained Effort by the VA Healthcare System. American Journal of Public Health, 104(S4): S514-S516.
- Marmot, M. Allen, J. J. (2014). Social Determinants of Health Equity. American Journal of Public Health, 104(S4): S517-S519.
- Gracia, J. N., Ruffin, J. (2014). Partnership, Research, and Leadership to Advance Health Equity and Eliminate Health Disparities. American Journal of Public Health, 104(S4): S520-S521.
- Lynch, J., Whatley, A., Uchendu, U. S., Ibrahim, S. A. (2014). Race and Genomics in the Veterans Health Administration. American Journal of Public Health, 104(S4): S522-S524.
- Atkins, D., Kilbourne, A., Lipson, L. (2014). Health Equity Research in the Veterans Health Administration: We’ve Come Far but Aren’t There Yet. American Journal of Public Health, 104(S4): S525-S526.
- Clancy, C. M., Uchendu, U. S., Jones, K. T. (2014). Excellence and Equality in Health Care. American Journal of Public Health, 104(S4): S527-S528.
- Whitehead, A. M., Czamogorski, M., Wright, S. M., Hayes, P. M., Haskell, S. G. (2014). Improving Trends in Gender Disparities in the Department of Veterans Affairs: 2008-2013. American Journal of Public Health, 104(S4): S529-S531.
- Kauth, M. R., Shipherd, J. C., Lindsay, J., Blosnich, J. R., Brown, G. R., Jones, K. T. (2014). Access to Care for Transgender Veterans in the Veterans Health Administration: 2006-2013. American Journal of Public Health, 104(S4): S532-S534.
- Blosnich, J. R., Mays, V. M., Cochran, S. D. (2014). Suicidality Among Veterans: Implications of Sexual Minority Status. American Journal of Public Health, 104(S4): S535-S537.
- Tsai, J., Whealin, J. M., Pietrzak, R. H. (2014). Asian American and Pacific Islander Military Veterans in the United States: Health Service Use and Perceived Barriers to Mental Health Services. American Journal of Public Health, 104(S4): S538-S547.
- Noe, T. D., Kaufman, C. E., Kaufmann, J., Brooks, E., Shore, J. H. (2014). Providing Culturally Competent Services for American Indian and Alaska Native Veterans to Reduce Health Care Disparities. American Journal of Public Health, 104(S4): S548-S554.
- Backus, L. I., Belperio, P. S., Loomis, T. P., Mole, L. A. (2014). Impact of Race/Ethnicity and Gender on HCV Screening and Prevalence Among US Veterans in Department of Veterans Affairs Care. American Journal of Public Health, 104(S4): S555-S561.
- Samuel, C. A., Landrum, M. B., McNeil, B. J., Bozeman, S. R., Williams, C. D., Keating, N. L. (2014). Racial Disparities in Cancer Care in the Veterans Affairs Health Care System and the Role of Site of Care. American Journal of Public Health, 104(S4): S562-S571.
- Zhang, X., Martinez-Donate, A. P., Cook, J., Piper, M. E., Berg, K., Jones, N. R. (2014). Battling Tobacco Use at Home: An Analysis of Smoke-Free Home Rules Among US Veterans From 2001 to 2011. American Journal of Public Health, 104(S4): S572-S579.
- Burgess, D. J., van Ryn, M., Noorbaloochi, S., Clothier, B., Taylor, B. C., Sherman, S., Joseph, A. M., Fu, S. S. (2014). Smoking Cessation Among African American and White Smokers in the Veterans Affairs Health Care System. American Journal of Public Health, 104(S4): S580-S587.
- McInnes, D. K., Petrakis, B. A., Gifford, A. L., Rao, S. R., Houston, T. K., Asch, S. M., O'Toole, T. P. (2014). Retaining Homeless Veterans in Outpatient Care: A Pilot Study of Mobile Phone Text Message Appointment Reminders. American Journal of Public Health, 104(S4): S588-S594.
- Blosnich, J. R., Gordon, A. J., Bossarte, R. M. (2014). Suicidal Ideation and Mental Distress Among Adults With Military Service History: Results from 5 US States, 2010. American Journal of Public Health, 104(S4): S595-S602.
- Copeland, L. A., McIntyre, R. T., Stock, E. M., Zeber, J. E., MacCarthy, D. J., Pugh, M. J. (2014). Prevalence of Suicidality Among Hispanic and African American Veterans Following Surgery. American Journal of Public Health, 104(S4): S603-S608.
- Cerdá, M., Tracy, M., Ahern, J., Galea, S. (2014). Addressing Population Health and Health Inequalities: The Role of Fundamental Causes. American Journal of Public Health, 104(S4): S609-S619.
- Asvat, Y., Cao, D., Africk, J. J., Matthews, A., King, A. (2014). Feasibility and Effectiveness of a Community-Based Smoking Cessation Intervention in a Racially Diverse, Urban Smoker Cohort. American Journal of Public Health, 104(S4): S620-S627.
OHE Transgender Veterans Protocol
The purpose of this research protocol and related research is to examine medical and mental health outcomes among Transgender Veterans and identify disparities these Veterans face when seeking VHA care.
- Blosnich, J. R., Brown, G. R., Shipherd, J. C., Kauth, M., Piegari, R. I., Bossarte, R. M. (2013). Prevalence of Gender Identity Disorder and Suicide Risk among Transgender Veterans Utilizing Veterans Health Administration Care. American Journal of Public Health, 103(10): e27-e32.
- Blosnich, J. R., Brown, G. R., Sybin, W., Jones, K. T., Bossarte, R. M. (2014). Mortality among Veterans with Transgender-related Diagnoses in the Veterans Health Administration, FY2000–2009. LGBT Health, 1(4): 269-276. doi:10.1089/lgbt.2014.0050.
- Brown, G. R., Jones, K. T. (2015). Health Correlates of Criminal Justice Involvement in 4,793 Transgender Veterans. LGBT Health, 2(4): 297-305. doi:10.1089/lgbt.2015.0052.
- Brown, G. R., Jones, K. T. (2015). Incidence of Breast Cancer in a Cohort of 5,135 Transgender Veterans. Breast Cancer Research and Treatment, 149(1), 191-198.
- Brown, G. R., Jones, K. T. (2015). Mental Health and Medical Health Disparities in 5135 Transgender Veterans Receiving Healthcare in the Veterans Health Administration: A Case-Control Study. LGBT Health.
- Brown, G. R., Jones, K. T. (2014). Racial Health Disparities in a Cohort of 5,135 Transgender Veterans. Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities, 1(4), 257-266.
- Kauth, M. R., Shipherd, J. C., Lindsay, J., Blosnich, J. R., Brown, G. R., Jones, K. T. (2014). Access to care for transgender Veterans in the Veterans Health Administration: 2006–2013. American Journal of Public Health, 104(S4), S532-S534.
Health Disparities Evidence-based Synthesis Reviews
- Evidence Brief: Update on Prevalence of and Interventions to Reduce Racial and Ethnic Disparities within the VA--2015
- ESP Report: An Evidence Map of the Women Veterans' Health Research Literature (2008 - 2015)--2017
- Health Disparities in Quality Indicators of Healthcare Among Adults with Mental Illness--2014
- Health Effects of Military Service on Women Veterans--2011
- Systematic Review of Women Veterans Health Research (2004 - 2008)--2011
VA Health Services Research & Development Publication Briefs
The VA Health Services Research and Development Service (HSR&D) pursues research that underscores all aspects of VA healthcare: patient care, care delivery, health outcomes, cost, and quality.
- Few Disparities in Medical Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder after Non-Fatal Overdose, but Room for Improvement
This retrospective studey assessed the association between race and ethnicity and patterns of opioid prescribing before and after a non-fatal opioid overdose - and also assessed the receipt of medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) (i.e., buprenorphine, methadone, and naltrexone) following such events among a national cohort of VA patients.
- Womens' Health: Women Veterans More Likely to Use Complementary and Integrative Therapies
This study sought to examine complementary and integrative health (CIH) therapy use by gender among Veterans with chronic musculoskeletal pain, and variations in gender differences by race/ethnicity and age (September 1, 2018).
- Evidence Review Identifies Modest Mortality Disparities among Racial and Ethnic Minority Groups in VA Healthcare
To support VA’s efforts to better understand the scale and determinants of disparities in racial and ethnic mortality – and to develop interventions to reduce disparities, investigators from the VA Evidence-based Synthesis Program (ESP) Coordinating Center in Portland, OR conducted an evidence review of mortality disparities specific to VA. Findings showed that although VA’s equal access healthcare system has reduced many racial/ethnic mortality disparities still present in the private sector, modest mortality disparities persist mainly for black Veterans with conditions that include: stage 4 chronic kidney disease, colon cancer, diabetes, HIV, rectal cancer, and stroke (March 1, 2018). - Racial/Ethnic and Gender Variations in Veteran Satisfaction with VA Healthcare
This study of Veterans’ satisfaction with outpatient, inpatient, and specialist care in a diverse sample of Veterans from predominantly minority-serving VAMCs sought to better understand racial/ethnic and gender variations in healthcare satisfaction (March 1, 2018). - Medical Care Supplement Features Articles by VA Researchers on Improving the Quality and Equity of Health and Healthcare
In 2016, HSR&D’s Center for Health Equity Research and Promotion (CHERP) and the Health Equity and Rural Outreach Innovation Center (HEROIC) hosted a conference to “Engage Diverse Stakeholders and Operational Partners in Advancing Health Equity in the VA Healthcare System.” It brought together health equity investigators, representatives of vulnerable Veteran populations, and operational leaders to identify strategies to advance the implementation of evidence-based interventions to improve the quality and equity of health and healthcare. The conference focused on three specific vulnerable Veteran populations: racial and ethnic minorities, homeless Veterans, and Veterans from the LGBT community. This supplement features several articles that emanated from this meeting (September 1, 2017). - PACT Initiative Did Not Reduce Most Disparities in Improved Hypertension or Diabetes Control among VA Patients
This study sought to determine whether PACTs helped mitigate national racial/ethnic disparities in VA clinical outcomes, after adjusting for variable implementation and social determinants of health (June 1, 2017).
External Research and Reports
- GAO-20-83 Report: Opportunites Exist for VA to Better Identify and Address Racial and Ethnic Disparities, December 2019
- California Health Care Almanac - Health Disparities by Race and Ethnicity: The California Landscape, October 2019
- Patterns and correlates of racial/ethnic disparities in posttraumatic stress, 2019
- Racial and Ethnic Disparities Within VA, July 2015, Issue 99
- Health Disparities in Quality Indicators of Healthcare Among Adults with Mental Illness, January 2015, Issue 89
- AJPH Supplement Highlights Equity Research on VA Healthcare, August 2014, Issue 83
- 2017 National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report
- Health Services Research & Development Disparities Research
- Institute of Medicine Report: Unequal Treatment: Confronting Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health Care