Research for Women Veterans
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 make 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 (2019)
- 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.
- Lopez CM, Gilmore AK2, Brown WJ, Hahn CK, Muzzy W, Grubaugh A, Acierno R. Effects of Emotion Dysregulation on Post-treatment Post-traumatic Stress Disorder and Depressive Symptoms Among Women Veterans With Military Sexual Trauma. J Interpers Violence. 2021 Mar 27;8862605211005134. doi: 10.1177/08862605211005134. Online ahead of print. PMID: 33775153
- Monteith LL, Holliday R, Schneider AL, Miller CN1, Bahraini NH, Forster JE. Institutional betrayal and help-seeking among women survivors of military sexual trauma. Psychol Trauma. 2021 Mar 25. doi: 10.1037/tra0001027. Online ahead of print. PMID: 33764096
- Cohen BE. Exploring Posttraumatic Stress Disorder as a Cardiovascular Risk Factor in Women Veterans: The Heart of the Matter. JAMA Cardiol. 2021 Mar 17. doi: 10.1001/jamacardio.2021.0236. Online ahead of print. PMID: 33729434
- Ebrahimi R, Lynch KE, Beckham JC, Dennis PA, Viernes B, Tseng C, Shroyer ALW, Sumner JA. Association of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Incident Ischemic Heart Disease in Women Veterans. JAMA Cardiol. 2021 Mar 17. doi: 10.1001/jamacardio.2021.0227. Online ahead of print. PMID: 33729463
- MacLean MB, Sweet J, Mahar A, Gould S, Hall AL. Health care access and use among male and female Canadian Armed Forces Veterans. Health Rep. 2021 Mar 17;32(3):17-22. doi: 10.25318/82-003-x202100300002-eng. PMID: 33728888
- Sitz AL, Cogan CM, Davis JL. Cognitive Processing Therapy With an Older Woman Veteran During COVID-19: A Case Study. Cogn Behav Pract. 2021 Mar 14. doi: 10.1016/j.cbpra.2021.02.001. Online ahead of print. PMID: 33746499
- Holliday R, Schneider AL, Miller C, Forster JE, Monteith LL. Factor Structure of the Suicide Cognitions Scale in a National Sample of Female Veterans. Arch Suicide Res. 2021 Mar 9;1-13. doi: 10.1080/13811118.2021.1892003. Online ahead of print. PMID: 33689600
- Edmonds SW, Mengeling MA, Syrop CH, Torner JC, Sadler AG. Associations Between Sexual Assault and Reproductive and Family Planning Behaviors and Outcomes in Female Veterans. Obstet Gynecol. 2021 Mar 1;137(3):461-470. doi: 10.1097/AOG.0000000000004278. PMID: 33543896
- Martin JL, Carlson G, Kelly M, Fung CH, Song Y, Mitchell MN, Zeidler MR, Josephson KR, Badr MS, Zhu R, Alessi CA, Washington DL, Yano EM. Sleep apnea in women veterans: results of a national survey of VA health care users. J Clin Sleep Med. 2021 Mar 1;17(3):555-565. doi: 10.5664/jcsm.8956. PMID: 33124975
- Quinn DA, Mor MK, Sileanu FE, Zhao X, Callegari LS, Zephyrin LC, Frayne DJ, Borrero S. Measuring Female Veterans' Prepregnancy Wellness Using Department of Veterans Affairs' Health Record Data. Obstet Gynecol. 2021 Mar 1;137(3):471-480. doi: 10.1097/AOG.0000000000004293. PMID: 33543894
- Campbell SB, Gray KE, Hoerster KD, Fortney JC, Simpson TL. Differences in functional and structural social support among female and male Veterans and civilians. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol. 2021 Mar;56(3):375-386. doi: 10.1007/s00127-020-01862-4. Epub 2020 Apr 6. PMID: 32249329
- Gawron LM, Simonsen S, Millar MM, Lewis-Caporal J, Patel S, Simmons RG. Pregnancy Risk Screening and Counseling for Women Veterans: Piloting the One Key Question in the Veterans Healthcare Administration. South Med J. 2021 Mar;114(3):150-155. doi: 10.14423/SMJ.0000000000001218. PMID: 33655308
- Sagalla N, Colón-Emeric C, Sloane R, Lyles K, Vognsen J, Lee R. FRAX without BMD can be used to risk-stratify Veterans who recently sustained a low trauma non-vertebral/non-hip fracture. Osteoporos Int. 2021 Mar;32(3):467-472. doi: 10.1007/s00198-020-05616-5. Epub 2020 Sep 4. PMID: 32885318
- Blosnich JR, Garfin DR, Maguen S, Vogt D, Dichter ME, Hoffmire CA, Bernhard PA, Schneiderman A. Differences in childhood adversity, suicidal ideation, and suicide attempt among Veterans and non-Veterans. Am Psychol. Feb-Mar 2021;76(2):284-299. doi: 10.1037/amp0000755. PMID: 33734795
- Morgan NR, Aronson KR, Perkins DF, Doucette CE, Bleser JA, Davenport K, Vogt D, Copeland LA, Finley EP, Gilman CL. The interaction of exposure to adverse childhood and combat experiences on the current mental health of new post-9/11 Veterans. J Community Psychol. 2021 Feb 24. doi: 10.1002/jcop.22523. Online ahead of print. PMID: 33624843
- Bullman T, Schneiderman A, Dursa E. Cause-specific mortality risks among U.S. Veterans: 25 years after their service in the 1990-1991 gulf war. Ann Epidemiol. 2021 Feb 11;57:1-6. doi: 10.1016/j.annepidem.2021.01.005. Online ahead of print. PMID: 33581241
- Tsai J, Pietrzak RH, Szymkowiak D. The Problem of Veteran Homelessness: An Update for the New Decade. Am J Prev Med. 2021 Feb 11;S0749-3797(21)00066-0. doi: 10.1016/j.amepre.2020.12.012. Online ahead of print. PMID: 33583678
- Jeon-Slaughter H, Chen X, Tsai S, Ramanan B, Ebrahimi R. Developing an Internally Validated Veterans Affairs Women Cardiovascular Disease Risk Score Using Veterans Affairs National Electronic Health Records. J Am Heart Assoc. 2021 Feb;10(5):e019217. doi: 10.1161/JAHA.120.019217. Epub 2021 Feb 23. PMID: 33619994
- Adams RE, Hu Y, Figley CR, Urosevich TG, Hoffman SN, Kirchner HL, Dugan RJ, Boscarino JJ, Withey CA, Boscarino JA. Risk and protective factors associated with mental health among female military veterans: results from the veterans' health study. BMC Womens Health. 2021 Feb 8;21(1):55. doi: 10.1186/s12905-021-01181-z. PMID: 33557798
- Nicosia FM, Gibson CJ, Purcell N, Zamora K, Tighe J, Seal KH. Women Veterans' Experiences with Integrated, Biopsychosocial Pain Care: A Qualitative Study. Pain Med. 2021 Feb 6;pnaa481. doi: 10.1093/pm/pnaa481. Online ahead of print. PMID: 33547797
- Callegari LS, Nelson KM, Arterburn DE, Dehlendorf C, Magnusson SL, Benson SK, Schwarz EB, Borrero S. Development and Pilot Testing of a Patient-Centered Web-Based Reproductive Decision Support Tool for Primary Care. J Gen Intern Med. 2021 Feb 4. doi: 10.1007/s11606-020-06506-6. Online ahead of print. PMID: 33538956
- Edmonds SW, Mengeling MA, Syrop CH, Torner JC, Sadler AG. Associations Between Sexual Assault and Reproductive and Family Planning Behaviors and Outcomes in Female Veterans. Obstet Gynecol. 2021 Feb 4. doi: 10.1097/AOG.0000000000004278. Online ahead of print. PMID: 33543896
- Quinn DA, Mor MK, Sileanu FE, Zhao X, Callegari LS, Zephyrin LC, Frayne DJ, Borrero S. Measuring Female Veterans' Prepregnancy Wellness Using Department of Veterans Affairs' Health Record Data. Obstet Gynecol. 2021 Feb 4. doi: 10.1097/AOG.0000000000004293. Online ahead of print. PMID: 33543894
- Brownley J, Dunn N. Illuminating the Critical Importance of Research Supporting Women Veterans. Med Care. 2021 Feb 1;59:S9-S10. doi: 10.1097/MLR.0000000000001465. PMID: 33438876
- Chen JI, Cameron DC, Laliberte AZ, Hooker ER, Niederhausen M, Denneson LM. Assessment of Suicidal Intent in Self-directed Violence and Subsequent Care Received Among Military Veterans: A National Study of Gender Differences. Med Care. 2021 Feb 1;59:S17-S22. doi: 10.1097/MLR.0000000000001455. PMID: 33438878
- Costa MB. Use of Prolonged Exposure Therapy in Discharge Planning. Health Soc Work. 2021 Feb 1;hlaa034. doi: 10.1093/hsw/hlaa034. Online ahead of print. PMID: 33523129
- Gibson CJ, Li Y, Jasuja GK, Self KJ, Seal KH, Byers AL. Menopausal Hormone Therapy and Suicide in a National Sample of Midlife and Older Women Veterans. Med Care. 2021 Feb 1;59:S70-S76. doi: 10.1097/MLR.0000000000001433. PMID: 33438886
- Hoffmire CA, Denneson LM, Monteith LL, Dichter ME, Gradus JL, Cappelletti MM, Brenner LA, Yano EM. Accelerating Research on Suicide Risk and Prevention in Women Veterans Through Research-Operations Partnerships. Med Care. 2021 Feb 1;59:S11-S16. doi: 10.1097/MLR.0000000000001432. PMID: 33438877
- Holliday R, Forster JE, Schneider AL, Miller C, Monteith LL. Interpersonal Violence Throughout the Lifespan: Associations With Suicidal Ideation and Suicide Attempt Among a National Sample of Female Veterans. Med Care. 2021 Feb 1;59:S77-S83. doi: 10.1097/MLR.0000000000001447. PMID: 33438887
- Mayfield BL, Shaw RM, Holland A, McGuinness TM, McCrear MD, Patterson SG, Richardson JW. A Call to Action for Women Veterans' Mental Health. J Psychosoc Nurs Ment Health Serv. 2021 Feb 1;59(2):2-4. doi: 10.3928/02793695-20210114-01. PMID: 33513260
- Monteith LL, Holliday R, Hoffmire CA, Bahraini NH. Female Veterans' Willingness to Seek Veterans Health Administration and Non-Veterans Health Administration Services for Suicidal Thoughts and Mental Health Concerns. Med Care. 2021 Feb 1;59:S23-S30. doi: 10.1097/MLR.0000000000001480. PMID: 33438879
- Montgomery AE, Dichter ME, Blosnich JR. Gender Differences in the Predictors of Suicide-related Morbidity Among Veterans Reporting Current Housing Instability. Med Care. 2021 Feb 1;59:S36-S41. doi: 10.1097/MLR.0000000000001422. PMID: 33438881
- Strauss JL, Miller LJ, Strickland S. Applying Research to Advance Suicide Prevention in Women Veterans. Med Care. 2021 Feb 1;59:S6-S8. doi: 10.1097/MLR.0000000000001434. PMID: 33438875
- Zelkowitz RL, Mitchell KS, Grossman SL, Nillni YI, Gradus JL, Galovski TE. Latent Class Analysis of Self-directed Violence and Indirect Self-harm Behaviors: Gender Differences and Associations With Mental Health Symptoms. Med Care. 2021 Feb 1;59:S51-S57. doi: 10.1097/MLR.0000000000001476. PMID: 33438883
- Carpenter JE, Lee T, Greene E, Holovac E. A Stepwise Approach for Preventing Suicide by Lethal Poisoning. Fed Pract. 2021 Feb;38(2):62-67. doi: 10.12788/fp.0087. PMID: 33716481
- Varilek BM, Isaacson MJ. Female Veteran Use of Palliative and Hospice Care: A Scoping Review. Mil Med. 2021 Jan 29;usab005. doi: 10.1093/milmed/usab005. Online ahead of print. PMID: 33512462
- Aggarwal A, Adepoju B, Yacur M, Maron D, Sharma MC. Gender Disparity in Breast Cancer: A Veteran Population-Based Comparison. Clin Breast Cancer. 2021 Jan 26;S1526-8209(21)00026-4. doi: 10.1016/j.clbc.2021.01.013. Online ahead of print. PMID: 33619003
- White CN, Kauffman BY, Acierno R. Factors contributing to Veterans' satisfaction with PTSD treatment delivered in person compared to telehealth. J Telemed Telecare. 2021 Jan 26;1357633X20987704. doi: 10.1177/1357633X20987704. Online ahead of print. PMID: 33497311
- Lawrence KA, Vogt D, Dugan AJ, Nigam S, Slade E, Smith BN. Mental Health and Psychosocial Functioning in Recently Separated U.S. Women Veterans: Trajectories and Bi-Directional Relationships. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Jan 22;18(3):935. doi: 10.3390/ijerph18030935. PMID: 33498982
- Brown EK, Guthrie KM, Stange M, Creech S. "A Woman in A Man's World": A Pilot Qualitative Study of Challenges Faced by Women Veterans During and After Deployment. J Trauma Dissociation. 2021 Jan 20;1-18. doi: 10.1080/15299732.2020.1869068. Online ahead of print. PMID: 33470907
- Creech SK, Pulverman CS, Kroll-Desrosiers A, Kinney R, Dichter ME, Mattocks K. Intimate Partner Violence Among Pregnant Veterans: Prevalence, Associated Mental Health Conditions, and Health Care Utilization. J Gen Intern Med. 2021 Jan 19. doi: 10.1007/s11606-020-06498-3. Online ahead of print. PMID: 33464464
- Bahorik A, Bobrow K, Hoang T, Yaffe K. Increased risk of dementia in older female US veterans with alcohol use disorder. Addiction. 2021 Jan 15. doi: 10.1111/add.15416. Online ahead of print. PMID: 33449402
- Gaffey AE, Burg MM, Rosman L, Portnoy GA, Brandt CA, Cavanagh CE, Skanderson M, Dziura J, Mattocks KM, Bastian LA, Haskell SG. Baseline Characteristics from the Women Veterans Cohort Study: Gender Differences and Similarities in Health and Healthcare Utilization. J Womens Health (Larchmt). 2021 Jan 13. doi: 10.1089/jwh.2020.8732. Online ahead of print. PMID: 33439756
- Hamrick HC, Ehlke SJ, Davies RL, Higgins JM, Naylor J, Kelley ML. Moral Injury as a Mediator of the Associations Between Sexual Harassment and Mental Health Symptoms and Substance Use Among Women Veterans. J Interpers Violence. 2021 Jan 12;886260520985485. doi: 10.1177/0886260520985485. Online ahead of print. PMID: 33435809
- Monteith LL, Schneider AL, Holliday R, Bahraini NH. Assessing Institutional Betrayal Among Female Veterans Who Experienced Military Sexual Trauma: A Rasch Analysis of the Institutional Betrayal Questionnaire. J Interpers Violence. 2021 Jan 6;886260520983959. doi: 10.1177/0886260520983959. Online ahead of print. PMID: 33403916
- Stefanovics EA, Edwards LM, Pietrzak RH. Personality and Body Mass Index in U.S. Military Veterans: Results from the National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study. Psychiatr Q. 2021 Jan 3. doi: 10.1007/s11126-020-09878-4. Online ahead of print. PMID: 33389478
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