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Birmingham VA neurologist, UAB associate professor published in the American Heart Association’s “Stroke” journal

Dr. Chen Lin, a neurologist at the Birmingham VA and an associate professor in the Department of Neurology at UAB.
Dr. Chen Lin, a neurologist at the Birmingham VA and an associate professor in the Department of Neurology at UAB, serves as the senior author of this groundbreaking study.
By Birmingham VA Health Care System, Public Affairs Office

Association of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Race on Readmissions After Stroke

In a noteworthy collaboration between the Birmingham VA Health Care System and the University of Alabama at Birmingham, health care researchers have made a significant contribution to the medical community by publishing their findings in "Stroke," a peer-reviewed journal of the American Stroke Association, which is a division of the American Heart Association. Their research explains disparities in hospital readmission rates among African American Veterans diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) as compared to their counterparts without a PTSD diagnosis. 

Dr. Chen Lin, a neurologist at the Birmingham VA and an associate professor in the Department of Neurology at UAB, serves as the senior author of this groundbreaking study. Dr. Lin highlights that the research identified three factors - high blood pressure, a history of heart attack, and arterial narrowing outside the heart - as common risks for hospital readmission post-stroke across both white and African American Veterans. 

This publication, titled "Association of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Race on Readmissions After Stroke," represents a collaborative effort that includes contributions from Dr. Peter King, Chief of Neurology at Birmingham VA, and Dr. Lori Davis, Associate Chief of Staff for Research at the Tuscaloosa VA. Their collective work stands as a vital resource for advancing the understanding of stroke care and readmission risks within the Veteran population, particularly among African American Veterans with PTSD. 

For a comprehensive insight into their findings, the full article is available in the American Heart Association's "Stroke" journal.

If you or anyone you know with PTSD that has had a recent stroke and are interested in discussing management options, please contact Dr. Lin at chen.lin@va.gov.

Here’s a link to the UAB article: African American veterans with PTSD have a significantly higher risk of rehospitalization after a stroke - News | UAB