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Office of Health Equity

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Tools

Virtual Patient Training Modules

The Virtual Patient Training Modules were created by OHE to assist  clinicians, non-clinicians, Veterans, and stakeholders in understanding the importance of assessing, and increasing competency, of health equity issues for Veterans. Training scenarios for each module are based on healthcare experiences of Veterans collected by OHE over the years. The intent is for users to hear the voices of vulnerable Veterans, learn about their experiences, and use this knowledge to reflect on everyday interactions between staff and vulnerable patients.

These training modules are available on the VA Talent Management System (TMS) for VA employees and VHA TRAIN, which is open to both VA employees and the general public.

Veteran faces

Determinants of Health and Healthcare for All Employees

Description: Provides an awareness of Veteran populations that are at risk for health disparities, factors that put them at risk, and what you can do within your area of influence to move toward attaining the highest level of health for Veterans.

TMS | TRAIN
Lucille image

Casting the Health Equity Lens on Routine Check-up: Lucille F. 54

Description: Provides an interactive example of incorporating social determinants of health in the delivery of patient-focused care.

TMS | TRAIN


Journeys with High Blood Pressure

Did you know that some Veterans, including some racial and ethnic minorities, experience higher rates of hypertension? A VA research team created a series of videos of patients discussing their experiences with high blood pressure and offering tips to take medications, talk to their health care providers, and make other changes. According to the 2016 study, Veterans who watched the videos, compared to those who did not watch the videos, reported greater intentions to:

  • Become more physically active;
  • Use salt substitutes;
  • Talk openly with their doctor about hypertension; and
  • Remember to take their hypertension medications.

The Office of Health Equity is pleased to be able to share these videos with Veterans and stakeholders. The short videos below feature stories from Veterans about high blood pressure and important resources.

Module 1 - Journeys with High Blood Pressure

Module 1 Introduction 
Introduction		 Module 1 Danny
Danny		 Module 1 Danny
Morris		 Module 1 Patricia
Patricia
Module 1 Richard
Richard		 Module 1 Willie
Willie		 What is High Blood Pressure
What is High Blood Pressure		 Diet and Exercise
Diet and Exercise
Smoking and Exercise
Smoking and Alcohol		 Taking Medications and Stress
Taking Medications and Stress		 Talking to Family, Friends and Doctors
Talking to Family, Friends
and Doctors		 Module 1 Conclusion
Conclusion
Module 2 - Journeys with High Blood Pressure | Continuing Down the Road

Module 2 Introduction 
Introduction		 Module 2 Willie
Allen		 Module 2 Dwayne
Dwayne		 Module 2 Morris
Morris
Module 2 Patricia 
Patricia		 Module 2 Willie
Willie		 What is High Blood Pressure
What is High Blood Pressure 		 Diet and Exercise
Diet and Exercise 
Smoking and Alcohol
Smoking and Alcohol		 Taking Medications and Stress
Taking Medications and Stress		 Talking to Family, Friends and Doctors
Talking to Family, Friends
and Doctors		  


VA National Veteran Health Equity Report Data Visualization Tool

OHE developed the Data Visualization Tool to supplement the National Veteran Health Equity Report. The National Veteran Health Equity Report details patterns and provides comparative rates of health conditions for vulnerable Veteran groups. Specifically, this report is designed to provide basic comparative information on the sociodemographics, utilization patterns and rates of diagnosed health conditions among the groups over which the VHA Office of Health Equity (OHE) has responsibility with respect to monitoring, evaluating and acting on identified disparities in access, use, care, quality and outcomes. The report allows the VA, Veterans, and stakeholders to monitor the care vulnerable Veterans receive and set goals for improving their care.

This tool allows users to interact with the data used in the National Veteran Health Equity Report. Click the title link or visit https://vha-healthequity.shinyapps.io/NVHER_Shiny/ to learn more about Veteran health equity issues.  



OHE Hepatitis C Virus – Advanced Liver Disease Disparities Dashboard

OHE developed a dashboard tool in an effort to promote equitable diagnosis and treatment of underserved Veterans with hepatitis C virus (HCV) and advanced liver disease (ALD). The Hepatitis C-ALD Dashboard utilizes a set of criteria - age, gender, geography, service era, race/ethnicity - to characterize Veteran groups with ALD due to hepatitis C who may require targeted intervention to improve their health.

On August 7, 2015, the VHA provided patient lists to VISNs of patients with ALD due to HCV. The Dashboard uses summarized data based on these lists. Visit http://www.va.gov/HEALTHEQUITY/Data.asp for more information on these publicly available data.

Click the title link or visit https://vha-healthequity.shinyapps.io/VHAOHE_HCV_Dash/ to learn more about Hepatitis C Virus and to examine the dashboard.  

Resources


Applying an Equity Lens

The Difference between Equality and Equity—Part 1

A quick search of the internet can provide various definitions for equality and equity; the subtle, yet important, and important differences in these concepts; and depictions to help the most novice person to recognize the difference distinguish between equality and equity. For the last point, the Office of Health Equity developed the Applying an Equity Lens depiction based on similar renderings. Our goal was is to be Veteran-centric in order to champion and raise awareness of health equity issues among Veterans, VHA staff, and stakeholders. [Read More]

Equality vs. Equity

 Download Image


Assess Health Equity as a Priority at Your Facility

One goal of the VHA Health Equity Action Plan is to strengthen and broaden leadership to address health disparities throughout the VA. Our new tool, the Competing on Health Equity – Organization Assessment, can help you consider if your organization (e.g., the facility where you receive care or the section in which your work) makes health equity a priority. The Assessment was developed by Harry L. Leider, MD, MBA and was modified for OHE use under appropriate permission.


VHA Providers Explore Unconscious Bias

VHA providers share their stories of creating awareness of unconscious bias within their clinical practice and how bias impacts us all. A bias is a tendency. Most biases are natural. However, biases can cause problems when we are not aware of them and we apply them inappropriately to our everyday choices, which can lead to discriminatory practices and result in poorer health outcomes and experiences for patients. The brief videos were created by the VA Office of Health Equity and Employee Education System in an effort to ensure all Veterans receive high quality and equitable healthcare. The videos were recorded April 2013.


VHA TRAIN Portal for CME Transgender Trainings


Military Health History Pocket Card

Period of Service/Military Era Timeline

Veterans serving in different period(s) of service or military era(s) may experience unique health concerns. Take a moment to familiarize yourself with the time frames for each period of service/military era.

Suggested Citation: Veterans Health Administration Office of Health Equity. Timeline of U.S. Period of Service Eras. 2016. https://www.va.gov/HEALTHEQUITY/docs/Period_of_Service_Timeline_OHE10212016.pdf


Compendium of Publicly Available Datasets and Other Data-Related Resources

This resource was created by the National Partnership for Action to End Health Disparities (NPA) Federal Interagency Health Equity Team (FIHET) Data, Research and Evaluation Workgroup. The Compendium inlcudes datasets and resources from multiple federal agencies to assess and address health disparities.


Harvard Implicit Associations Test


 "Year of Clinical Trial Diversity" Educational Series

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has launched a series of educational videos and materials to raise awareness about the importance of minorities participating in clinical trials. These videos stress the importance of why diversity is needed to help ensure medical products are safe and effective for everyone.

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