Center for Women Veterans (CWV)

Women have traditionally been underrepresented in medical research, leading to gaps in biomedical knowledge .  By volunteering to participate in VA research efforts like those listed below, women Veterans can make a difference.

• VA’s National PTSD Brain Bank Collaborates with PINK Concussions Group
• The Vietnam Era Health Retrospective Observational Study (VE-HEROeS) is a large-scale survey study on the health and well-being of Vietnam-era Veterans.  Approximately 54,000 scientifically selected individuals, including Vietnam-era Veterans and a comparison group of similarly aged Americans without military experience, have been invited to participate.  Currently 39 percent of Veterans and 61 percent of the general U.S. population have returned their surveys.  We strongly encourage invited women Veterans and civilians to participate if you have not already responded!  More participation means more data for researchers to learn about the current health of Vietnam-era Veterans, and more knowledge to help VA care for these Veterans.
• Million Veteran Program - VA is studying how genes affect health and needs more women Veterans to participate.
• VA, Boston University, and the Concussion Legacy Foundation have partnered to form the Brain Bank to allow research on chronic traumatic encephalopathy and other brain diseases.  Learn more and follow former VA Secretary McDonald’s lead by making a pledge to join the brain donation registry .
• Tango to help Parkinson’s research - This study will research if and how two different types of partnered dance (adaptive tango) affect brain activity in people with and without Parkinson’s disease.
• Service dogs for Veterans with PTSD - This study is to determine how Veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are helped by a service dog versus an emotional support dog.
• The VA National Center for Rehabilitative Auditory Research (NCRAR) mission is to improve the quality of life of Veterans and others with hearing and balance problems through clinical research, technology development, and education that leads to better patient care.  They are currently looking for research participants for numerous studies.

• Concerning Trends in Suicide Among Women Veterans Point to Need for More Research on Tailored Interventions
• Million Veteran Program:  Women Veterans
• Women Veterans Population Fact Sheet (2017)
• Understanding and Improving Pre- and Post-Natal Care for Women Veteran video and podcast
• VA Office of Inspector General Review of VHA Care and Privacy Standards for Women Veterans
• Women Veterans Forum
• Evidence Map: Women Veterans' Health Research Literature (2008-2015)
• VA Office of Health Services Research & Development (HSR&D), Women’s Health Topics
• Evidence Report:  Non-Pharmacologic Treatments for Vasomotor Symptoms Associated with Menopause
• Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs Women Veterans Health Care Study (October 2016)
• Profile of Women Veterans:  2015
• Women Veteran Report:  2015
• VA Office of Research & Development, Women’s Health Research
• Study of Barriers for Women Veterans to VA Health Care (2015)
• Women Veterans Issues - A Historical Perspecitive
• National Veteran Health Equity Report
• Sourcebook:  Women Veterans in the VHA Volume 3:  Sociodemographics, Utilization, Costs of Care, and Health Profile (2014)
• America’s Women Veterans:  Military Service History and VA Benefit Utilization Statistics (2011)

• Rates and correlates of disordered eating among women Veterans in primary care | MD Linx 05/2018
• Factors associated with persistent posttraumatic stress disorder among U.S. military service members and Veterans | BMC Psychiatry 03/2018
• Written Exposure Therapy Noninferior to Cognitive Processing Therapy for PTSD | Healio Psychiatriac Annals 01/2018
• Implementation Assessment of U.S. Office of Personnel Management’s Veterans Employment Initiative | 12/14/2017
• Study: Integrating Legal Aid With Medical Care Improves Veterans’ Lives | 12/2017
• Developing a Risk Model to Target High-Risk Preventive Interventions for Sexual Assault Victimization Among Female U.S. Army Soldiers | 11/2017
• Supporting United States Veterans:  A review of Veteran-focused needs assessments from 2008-2017 | 11/2017
• Abortion knowledge and experiences among US servicewomen:  A qualitative study | 11/2017
• 2017 Health of Women Who Have Served Report | 11/2017
• Diversity, Inclusion and Equal Opportunity in the Armed Services:  Background and Issues for Congress | 10/04/2017
• Military Women's Health: A Scoping Review and Gap Analysis, 2000-2015 | 05/2017
• Characteristics of Female Veterans-An Analytic View Across Age-Cohorts: 2015
• American Public Health Association’ Medical Care Special Edition – Medical Care has published a special supplement on The State of the Science in VA Health Equity Research.
• Defense Advisory Committee On Women in the Services – 2017 Focus Group Report
• HSR&D In Progress:  VA Healthcare for Women Veterans (03/02/2017)
• GAO Report GOA-17-52 — VA Health Care:   Improved Monitoring Needed for Effective Oversight of Care for Women Veterans
• Got Your 6 2016 Veterans Civic Health Index
• Women’s Health Issues 2011 special supplement Health and Health Care of Women Veterans and Women in the Military and 2014 special collection on Women Veteran’s Health
• The Gerontologist 2016 supplement on Women Veterans in the Women’s Health Initiative
• Women at War, Edited by Elspeth Cameron Ritchie and Anne L Naclerio

PubMed.gov comprises more than 26 million citations for biomedical literature from MEDLINE, life science journals, and online books.  Citations may include links to full-text content from PubMed Central and publisher websites.  Please contact your local library to obtain the full-text of any of these references.

• Blais RK, Geiser C, Cruz RA. Specific PTSD symptom clusters mediate the association of military sexual trauma severity and sexual function and satisfaction in female service members/Veterans. Affect Disord. 2018 Oct 1;238:680-688. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2018.05.052. Epub 2018 May 29. PMID: 30029163
• Evans EA, Glover DL, Washington DL, Hamilton AB. Psychosocial Factors that Shape Substance Abuse and Related Mental Health of Women Military Veterans who Use Community-Based Services. Subst Use Misuse. 2018 Sep 19;53(11):1878-1892. doi: 10.1080/10826084.2018.1441309. Epub 2018 Feb 27. PMID: 29485302
• Najavits LM, Krinsley K, Waring ME, Gallagher MW, Skidmore C. A Randomized Controlled Trial for Veterans with PTSD and Substance Use Disorder: Creating Change versus Seeking Safety. Subst Use Misuse. 2018 Sep 19;53(11):1788-1800. doi: 10.1080/10826084.2018.1432653. Epub 2018 Feb 20. PMID: 29461920
• Browne KC, Dolan M, Simpson TL, Fortney JC, Lehavot K. Regular past year cannabis use in women veterans and associations with sexual trauma. Addict Behav. 2018 Sep;84:144-150. doi: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2018.04.007. Epub 2018 Apr 10. PMID: 29684763
• Vest BM, Homish DL, Fillo J, Homish GG. Military status and alcohol problems: Former soldiers may be at greater risk. Addict Behav. 2018 Sep;84:139-143. doi: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2018.04.011. Epub 2018 Apr 13. PMID: 29679924
• Bannister JA, Lopez FG, Menefee DS, Norton PJ, Wanner J. Military and Premilitary Trauma, Attachment Orientations, and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Severity Among Male and Female Veterans. Trauma Stress. 2018 Aug 9. doi: 10.1002/jts.22309. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 30091801
• Gerber MR, Bogdan KM, Haskell SG, Scioli ER. Experience of Childhood Abuse and Military Sexual Trauma Among Women Veterans with Fibromyalgia. J Gen Intern Med. 2018 Aug 3. doi: 10.1007/s11606-018-4594-4. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 30076571
• Weiss BJ, Azevedo K, Webb K, Gimeno J, Cloitre M. Telemental Health Delivery of Skills Training in Affective and Interpersonal Regulation (STAIR) for Rural Women Veterans Who Have Experienced Military Sexual Trauma. J Trauma Stress. 2018 Aug 2. doi: 10.1002/jts.22305. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 30070399
• Buchholz LJ, King PR, Wray LO. Rates and correlates of disordered eating among women Veterans in primary care. Eat Behav. 2018 Aug;30:28-34. doi: 10.1016/j.eatbeh.2018.05.002. Epub 2018 May 16. PMID: 29777967
• Calhoun PS, Schry AR, Dennis PA, Wagner HR, Kimbrel NA, Bastian LA, Beckham JC, Kudler H, Straits-Tröster K. The Association Between Military Sexual Trauma and Use of VA and Non-VA Health Care Services Among Female Veterans With Military Service in Iraq or Afghanistan. Interpers Violence. 2018 Aug;33(15):2439-2464. doi: 10.1177/0886260515625909. Epub 2016 Jan 21. PMID: 26802046
• Dardis CM, Dichter ME, Iverson KM. Empowerment, PTSD and revictimization among women who have experienced intimate partner violence. Psychiatry Res. 2018 Aug;266:103-110. doi: 10.1016/j.psychres.2018.05.034. Epub 2018 May 30. PMID: 29859496
• Lee SY, Finkelstein-Fox L, Park CL, Mazure CM, Huedo-Medina TB, Hoff R. Bidirectionality of Pain Interference and PTSD Symptoms in Military Veterans: Does Injury Status Moderate Effects? Pain Med. 2018 Jul 16. doi: 10.1093/pm/pny133. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 30016463
• Inslicht SS, Neylan TC. Patterns of Zolpidem Use in Male and Female Veterans Following Revised FDA Dosing Guidelines. J Clin Sleep Med. 2018 Jul 15;14(7):1093-1094. doi: 10.5664/jcsm.7198. PMID: 29991413
• Jackson C, Weiss BJ, Cloitre M. STAIR Group Treatment for Veterans with PTSD: Efficacy and Impact of Gender on Outcome. Mil Med. 2018 Jul 11. doi: 10.1093/milmed/usy164. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 30007286
• DiMauro J, Renshaw KD, Blais RK. Sexual vs. Non-sexual trauma, sexual satisfaction and function, and mental health in female Veterans. J Trauma Dissociation. 2018 Jul-Sep;19(4):403-416. doi: 10.1080/15299732.2018.1451975. PMID: 29601287
• Buechel JJ, Connelly CD. Determinants of Human Papillomavirus Vaccination Among U.S. Navy Personnel. Nurs Res. 2018 Jul/Aug;67(4):341-346. doi: 10.1097/NNR.0000000000000282. PMID: 29877985
• Ninivaggio C, Riese H, Dunivan GC, Jeppson PC, Komesu YM, Murata A, Murata G, Rogers RG, Cichowski SB. One and the Same? Nocturnal Enuresis and Overactive Bladder in the Female Veteran Population: Evaluation of a Large National Database. Female Pelvic Med Reconstr Surg. 2018 Jul/Aug;24(4):307-311. doi: 10.1097/SPV.0000000000000439. PMID: 28657995
• Song Y, Washington DL, Yano EM, McCurry SM, Fung CH, Dzierzewski JM, Rodriguez JC, Jouldjian S, Mitchell MN, Alessi CA, Martin JL. Caregiving-Related Sleep Problems and Their Relationship to Mental Health and Daytime Function in Female Veterans. Behav Sleep Med. 2018 Jul-Aug;16(4):371-379. doi: 10.1080/15402002.2016.1228640. Epub 2016 Oct 3. PMID: 27690634
• Wilson SM, Burroughs TK, Newins AR, Dedert EA, Medenblik AM, McDonald SD, Beckham JC; VA Mid-Atlantic MIRECC Workgroup, Calhoun PS. The Association Between Alcohol Consumption, Lifetime Alcohol Use Disorder, and Psychiatric Distress Among Male and Female Veterans. J Stud Alcohol Drugs. 2018 Jul;79(4):591-600. PMID: 30079875
• DiMauro J, Renshaw KD, Blais RK. Sexual vs. Non-sexual trauma, sexual satisfaction and function, and mental health in female Veterans. J Trauma Dissociation. 2018 Jul-Sep;19(4):403-416. doi: 10.1080/15299732.2018.1451975. PMID: 29601287
• Holder N, Holliday R, Pai A, Surís A. Role of Borderline Personality Disorder in the Treatment of Military Sexual Trauma-related Posttraumatic Stress Disorder with Cognitive Processing Therapy. PMID: 28767012
• Song Y, Washington DL, Yano EM, McCurry SM, Fung CH, Dzierzewski JM, Rodriguez JC, Jouldjian S, Mitchell MN, Alessi CA, Martin JL. Caregiving-Related Sleep Problems and Their Relationship to Mental Health and Daytime Function in Female Veterans. Behav Sleep Med. 2018 Jul-Aug;16(4):371-379. doi: 10.1080/15402002.2016.1228640. Epub 2016 Oct 3. PMID: 2769063
• Amara JH, Stolzmann KL, Iverson KM, Pogoda TK. Predictors of Employment Status in Male and Female Post-9/11 Veterans Evaluated for Traumatic Brain Injury. J Head Trauma Rehabil. 2018 May 31. doi: 10.1097/HTR.0000000000000404. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 29863619
• Huston JC1,2,3, Iverson KM1,2, Mitchell KS1,2. Associations between healthcare use and disordered eating among female Veterans. Int J Eat Disord. 2018 May 30. doi: 10.1002/eat.22885. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 29846012
• Babson KA, Wong AC, Morabito D, Kimerling R. Insomnia Symptoms Among Female Veterans: Prevalence, Risk Factors, and the Impact on Psychosocial Functioning and Health Care Utilization. J Clin Sleep Med. 2018 May 29. pii: jc-17-00399. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 29852900
• Golden SE, Thakurta S, Slatore CG, Woo H, Sullivan DR. Military Factors Associated with Smoking in Veterans. Mil Med. 2018 May 18. doi: 10.1093/milmed/usy115. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 29788494
• Schermann H, Karakis I, Ankory R, Kadar A, Yoffe V, Shlaifer A, Yanovich R. Musculoskeletal Injuries Among Female Soldiers Working With Dogs. Mil Med. 2018 May 18. doi: 10.1093/milmed/usy105. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 29788209
• Rottenstreich M, Grisaru-Granovsky S, Rottenstreich A. The value of a registry negative urine pregnancy test for the prediction of a future unintended pregnancy among young women. Eur J Contracept Reprod Health Care. 2018 May 15:1-4. doi: 10.1080/13625187.2018.1465544. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 29764233
• Volpe KA, Cichowski SB, Komesu YK, Rogers RG, Murata A, Murata G. Female Veterans With Diagnoses of Both Chronic Pelvic Pain and Overactive Bladder; How Do They Compare to Women Diagnosed With Interstitial Cystitis? Female Pelvic Med Reconstr Surg. 2018 May 10. doi: 10.1097/SPV.0000000000000597. [Epub ahead of print]PMID: 29746393
• Wiblin J, Holder N, Holliday R, Surís A. Predictors of Unbearability, Unlovability, and Unsolvability in Veterans With Military-Sexual-Trauma-Related Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. J Interpers Violence. 2018 May 1:886260518777554. doi: 10.1177/0886260518777554. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 29848187
• Arditte Hall KA, Bartlett BA, Iverson KM, Mitchell KS. Eating disorder symptoms in female Veterans: The role of childhood, adult, and military trauma exposure. Psychol Trauma. 2018 May;10(3):345-351. doi: 10.1037/tra0000301. Epub 2017 Jul 6. PMID: 28682107
• Bovin MJ, Black SK, Rodriguez P, Lunney CA, Kleiman SE, Weathers FW, Schnurr PP, Spira J, Keane TM, Marx BP. Development and validation of a measure of PTSD-related psychosocial functional impairment: The Inventory of Psychosocial Functioning. Psychol Serv. 2018 May;15(2):216-229. doi: 10.1037/ser0000220. PMID: 29723024
• Meyer EC, Konecky B, Kimbrel NA, DeBeer BB, Marx BP, Schumm J, Penk WE, Gulliver SB, Morissette SB. Gender differences in associations between DSM-5 posttraumatic stress disorder symptom clusters and functional impairment in war Veterans. Psychol Serv. 2018 May;15(2):230-237. doi: 10.1037/ser0000171. PMID: 29723025
• Yalch MM, Hebenstreit CL, Maguen S. Influence of military sexual assault and other military stressors on substance use disorder and PTS symptomology in female military Veterans. Addict Behav. 2018 May;80:28-33. doi: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2017.12.026. Epub 2017 Dec 27. PMID: 29310004
• Blais RK, Monteith LL. Suicide Ideation in Female Survivors of Military Sexual Trauma: The Trauma Source Matters. Suicide Life Threat Behav. 2018 Apr 20. doi: 10.1111/sltb.12464. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 29676496
• Lutwak N. It Saved My Life. Acad Emerg Med. 2018 Apr 12. doi: 10.1111/acem.13427. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 29645319
• Lee DJ, Kearns JC, Wisco BE, Green JD, Gradus JL, Sloan DM, Nock MK, Rosen RC, Keane TM, Marx BP. A longitudinal study of risk factors for suicide attempts among Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom Veterans. Depress Anxiety. 2018 Apr 10. doi: 10.1002/da.22736. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 29637667
• Prescot A, Sheth C, Legarreta M, Renshaw PF, McGlade E, Yurgelun-Todd D. Altered Cortical GABA in Female Veterans with Suicidal Behavior: Sex Differences and Clinical Correlates. Chronic Stress (Thousand Oaks). 2018 Apr 6;2. doi: 10.1177/2470547018768771. PMID: 29756082
• Kip KE, Diamond DM. Clinical, Empirical, and Theoretical Rationale for Selection of Accelerated Resolution Therapy for Treatment of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder in VA and DoD Facilities. Mil Med. 2018 Apr 4. doi: 10.1093/milmed/usy027. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 29635395
• Bernecker SL, Rosellini AJ, Nock MK, Chiu WT, Gutierrez PM, Hwang I, Joiner TE, Naifeh JA, Sampson NA, Zaslavsky AM, Stein MB, Ursano RJ, Kessler RC. Improving risk prediction accuracy for new soldiers in the U.S. Army by adding self-report survey data to administrative data. BMC Psychiatry. 2018 Apr 3;18(1):87. doi: 10.1186/s12888-018-1656-4. PMID: 29615005
• Shaw JG, Nelson DA, Shaw KA, Woolaway-Bickel K, Phibbs CS, Kurina LM. Deployment and Preterm Birth Among US Army Soldiers. Am J Epidemiol. 2018 Apr 1;187(4):687-695. doi: 10.1093/aje/kwy003. PMID: 29370332
• Millner AJ, Ursano RJ, Hwang I, King AJ, Naifeh JA, Sampson NA, Zaslavsky AM, Stein MB, Kessler RC, Nock MK; STARRS-LS Collaborators. Collaborators: (41) Heeringa S, Colpe LJ, Schoenbaum M, Cersovsky S, Cox K, Aliaga PA, Benedek DM, Nikki Benevides K, Bliese PD, Borja S, Bromet EJ, Brown GG, Campbell-Sills L, Dempsey CL, Fullerton CS, Gebler N, Gifford RK, Gilman SE, Holloway MG, Hurwitz PE, Jain S, Kao TC, Koenen KC, Lewandowski-Romps L, Mash HH, McCarroll JE, Ng THH, Raman R, Ramsawh HJ, Rosellini AJ, Santiago P, Scanlon M, Smoller JW, Street A, Thomas ML, Wang L, Wassel CL, Wessely S, Wryter CL, Wu H, Wynn GH. Lifetime Suicidal Behaviors and Career Characteristics Among U.S. Army Soldiers: Results from the Army Study to Assess Risk and Resilience in Servicemembers (Army STARRS). Suicide Life Threat Behav. 2018 Apr;48(2):230-250. doi: 10.1111/sltb.12363. Epub 2017 Jun 20. PMID: 28631262

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