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BACKGROUND: Recent attention has highlighted the common occurrence and health consequences of military sexual trauma (MST) in younger women veterans. However, almost nothing is known about MST in older veterans. OBJECTIVE: To describe MST among older women veterans, including prevalence and common comorbidities. DESIGN: Cross-sectional observational study, using data from national Department of Veterans Affairs medical records. PARTICIPANTS: Population-based sample of women Veterans aged 55+ with at least one documented MST screen response and at least one clinical encounter in fiscal years 2005–2015. MAIN MEASURES: MST screen: medical diagnoses (diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, myocardial infarction, cerebrovascular disease, congestive heart failure, obesity, chronic pain conditions, back pain, dementia, insomnia, sleep apnea, menopause symptoms) and mental health diagnoses (anxiety, depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, tobacco use, alcohol use disorder, substance use disorder, opioid use disorder, suicidal ideation) from International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision Clinical Modification codes in the medical record. KEY RESULTS: In this cohort of older women veterans (n = 70,864, mean age 65.8 ± 10.4 years), 13% had a positive MST screen. In multivariable regression analyses adjusted for age, race/ethnicity, and marital status, MST was strongly associated with most mental health diagnoses, particularly posttraumatic stress disorder (OR 7.25, 95% CI 6.84–7.68), depression (OR 2.39, 95% CI 2.28–2.50), and suicidal ideation (OR 2.42, 95% CI 2.08–2.82). MST was also associated with multiple medical conditions, particularly sleep disorders (insomnia OR 1.61, 95% CI 1.43–1.82; sleep apnea OR 1.48, 95% CI 1.37–1.61) and pain (chronic pain OR 1.58, 95% CI 1.50–1.67; back pain OR 1.40, 95% CI 1.34–1.47). CONCLUSIONS: A history of MST is common among older women veterans and associated with a range of medical and mental health diagnoses. These findings call attention to the need for additional ...

OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to assess risk of Parkinson disease (PD) following traumatic brain injury (TBI), including specifically mild TBI (mTBI), among care recipients in the Veterans Health Administration. METHODS: In this retrospective cohort study, we identified all patients with a TBI diagnosis in Veterans Health Administration databases from October 2002 to September 2014 and age-matched 1:1 to a random sample of patients without TBI. All patients were aged 18 years and older without PD or dementia at baseline. TBI exposure and severity were determined via detailed clinical assessments or ICD-9 codes using Department of Defense and Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center criteria. Baseline comorbidities and incident PD more than 1 year post-TBI were identified using ICD-9 codes. Risk of PD after TBI was assessed using Cox proportional hazard models adjusted for demographics and medical/psychiatric comorbidities. RESULTS: Among 325,870 patients (half with TBI; average age 47.9 ± 17.4 years; average follow-up 4.6 years), 1,462 were diagnosed with PD during follow-up. Compared to no TBI, those with TBI had higher incidence of PD (no TBI 0.31%, all-severity TBI 0.58%, mTBI 0.47%, moderate-severe TBI 0.75%). In adjusted models, all-severity TBI, mTBI, and moderate-severe TBI were associated with increased risk of PD (hazard ratio [95% confidence interval]: all-severity TBI 1.71 [1.53–1.92]; mTBI 1.56 [1.35–1.80]; moderate-severe TBI 1.83 [1.61–2.07]). CONCLUSIONS: Among military veterans, mTBI is associated with 56% increased risk of PD, even after adjusting for demographics and medical/psychiatric comorbidities. This study highlights the importance of TBI prevention, long-term follow-up of TBI-exposed veterans, and the need to determine mechanisms and modifiable risk factors for post-TBI PD.

ImportanceTraumatic brain injury (TBI) is common in both veteran and civilian populations. Prior studies have linked moderate and severe TBI with increased dementia risk, but the association between dementia and mild TBI, particularly mild TBI without loss of consciousness (LOC), remains unclear.ObjectiveTo examine the association between TBI severity, LOC, and dementia diagnosis in veterans.Design, setting, and participantsThis cohort study of all patients diagnosed with a TBI in the Veterans Health Administration health care system from October 1, 2001, to September 30, 2014, and a propensity-matched comparison group. Patients with dementia at baseline were excluded. Researchers identified TBIs through the Comprehensive TBI Evaluation database, which is restricted to Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, and the National Patient Care Database, which includes veterans of all eras. The severity of each TBI was based on the most severe injury recorded and classified as mild without LOC, mild with LOC, mild with LOC status unknown, or moderate or severe using Department of Defense or Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center criteria. International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision codes were used to identify dementia diagnoses during follow-up and medical and psychiatric comorbidities in the 2 years prior to the index date.Main outcomes and measuresDementia diagnosis in veterans who had experienced TBI with or without LOC and control participants without TBI exposure.ResultsThe study included 178 779 patients diagnosed with a TBI in the Veterans Health Administration health care system and 178 779 patients in a propensity-matched comparison group. Veterans had a mean (SD) age of nearly 49.5 (18.2) years at baseline; 33 250 (9.3%) were women, and 259 136 (72.5%) were non-Hispanic white individuals. Differences between veterans with and without TBI were small. A total of 4698 veterans (2.6%) without TBI developed dementia compared with 10 835 (6.1%) of those with TBI. After adjustment for demographics and medical and psychiatric comobidities, adjusted hazard ratios for dementia were 2.36 (95% CI, 2.10-2.66) for mild TBI without LOC, 2.51 (95% CI, 2.29-2.76) for mild TBI with LOC, 3.19 (95% CI, 3.05-3.33) for mild TBI with LOC status unknown, and 3.77 (95% CI, 3.63-3.91) for moderate to severe TBI.Conclusions and relevanceIn this cohort study of more than 350 000 veterans, even mild TBI without LOC was associated with more than a 2-fold increase in the risk of dementia diagnosis. Studies of strategies to determine mechanisms, prevention, and treatment of TBI-related dementia in veterans are urgently needed.

Importance:Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is common in both veteran and civilian populations. Prior studies have linked moderate and severe TBI with increased dementia risk, but the association between dementia and mild TBI, particularly mild TBI without loss of consciousness (LOC), remains unclear. Objective:To examine the association between TBI severity, LOC, and dementia diagnosis in veterans. Design, Setting, and Participants:This cohort study of all patients diagnosed with a TBI in the Veterans Health Administration health care system from October 1, 2001, to September 30, 2014, and a propensity-matched comparison group. Patients with dementia at baseline were excluded. Researchers identified TBIs through the Comprehensive TBI Evaluation database, which is restricted to Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, and the National Patient Care Database, which includes veterans of all eras. The severity of each TBI was based on the most severe injury recorded and classified as mild without LOC, mild with LOC, mild with LOC status unknown, or moderate or severe using Department of Defense or Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center criteria. International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision codes were used to identify dementia diagnoses during follow-up and medical and psychiatric comorbidities in the 2 years prior to the index date. Main Outcomes and Measures:Dementia diagnosis in veterans who had experienced TBI with or without LOC and control participants without TBI exposure. Results:The study included 178 779 patients diagnosed with a TBI in the Veterans Health Administration health care system and 178 779 patients in a propensity-matched comparison group. Veterans had a mean (SD) age of nearly 49.5 (18.2) years at baseline; 33 250 (9.3%) were women, and 259 136 (72.5%) were non-Hispanic white individuals. Differences between veterans with and without TBI were small. A total of 4698 veterans (2.6%) without TBI developed dementia compared with 10 835 (6.1%) of those with TBI. After adjustment for demographics and medical and psychiatric comobidities, adjusted hazard ratios for dementia were 2.36 (95% CI, 2.10-2.66) for mild TBI without LOC, 2.51 (95% CI, 2.29-2.76) for mild TBI with LOC, 3.19 (95% CI, 3.05-3.33) for mild TBI with LOC status unknown, and 3.77 (95% CI, 3.63-3.91) for moderate to severe TBI. Conclusions and Relevance:In this cohort study of more than 350 000 veterans, even mild TBI without LOC was associated with more than a 2-fold increase in the risk of dementia diagnosis. Studies of strategies to determine mechanisms, prevention, and treatment of TBI-related dementia in veterans are urgently needed.

IMPORTANCE: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is common in both veteran and civilian populations. Prior studies have linked moderate and severe TBI with increased dementia risk, but the association between dementia and mild TBI, particularly mild TBI without loss of consciousness (LOC), remains unclear. OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between TBI severity, LOC, and dementia diagnosis in veterans. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This cohort study of all patients diagnosed with a TBI in the Veterans Health Administration health care system from October 1, 2001, to September 30, 2014, and a propensity-matched comparison group. Patients with dementia at baseline were excluded. Researchers identified TBIs through the Comprehensive TBI Evaluation database, which is restricted to Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, and the National Patient Care Database, which includes veterans of all eras. The severity of each TBI was based on the most severe injury recorded and classified as mild without LOC, mild with LOC, mild with LOC status unknown, or moderate or severe using Department of Defense or Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center criteria. International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision codes were used to identify dementia diagnoses during follow-up and medical and psychiatric comorbidities in the 2 years prior to the index date. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Dementia diagnosis in veterans who had experienced TBI with or without LOC and control participants without TBI exposure. RESULTS: The study included 178 779 patients diagnosed with a TBI in the Veterans Health Administration health care system and 178 779 patients in a propensity-matched comparison group. Veterans had a mean (SD) age of nearly 49.5 (18.2) years at baseline; 33 250 (9.3%) were women, and 259 136 (72.5%) were non-Hispanic white individuals. Differences between veterans with and without TBI were small. A total of 4698 veterans (2.6%) without TBI developed dementia compared with 10 835 (6.1%) of those with TBI. After adjustment for ...

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether diagnoses of traumatic brain injury (TBI), posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and depression, alone or in combination, increase dementia risk among older female veterans. METHODS: This cohort study included data from 109,140 female veterans ≥55 years of age receiving care from Veterans Health Administration medical centers in the United States between October 2004 and September 2015 with at least 1 follow-up visit. TBI, PTSD, depression, and medical conditions at study baseline and incident dementia were determined according to ICD-9-CM codes. Fine-Gray proportional hazards models were used to determine the association between military-related risk factors and dementia diagnosis, accounting for the competing risk of death. RESULTS: During follow-up (mean 4.0 years, SD 2.3), 4% of female veterans (n = 4,125) developed dementia. After adjustment for demographics and medical conditions, women with TBI, PTSD, and depression had a significant increase in risk of developing dementia compared to women without these diagnoses (TBI-adjusted subdistribution hazard ratio [adjusted sHR] 1.49, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.01–2.20; PTSD adjusted sHR 1.78, 95% CI 1.34–2.36; and depression-adjusted sHR 1.67, 95% CI 1.55–1.80), while women with >1 diagnosis had the highest risk for dementia (adjusted sHR 2.15, 95% CI 1.84–2.51). CONCLUSIONS: We found that women with military-related risk factors had an ≈50% to 80% increase in developing dementia relative to women without these diagnoses, while female veterans with multiple risk factors had a >2-fold risk of developing dementia. These findings highlight the need for increased screening of TBI, PTSD, and depression in older women, especially female veterans.

BackgroundPosttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is prevalent among military veterans and is associated with significant negative health outcomes. However, stigma and other barriers to care prevent many veterans from pursuing traditional mental health treatment. We developed a group-based Integrative Exercise (IE) program combining aerobic and resistance exercise, which is familiar to veterans, with mindfulness-based practices suited to veterans with PTSD. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of IE on PTSD symptom severity and quality of life, as well as assess the feasibility and acceptability of IE.MethodsVeterans (N = 47) were randomized to either IE or waitlist control (WL). Veterans in IE were asked to attend three 1-h group exercise sessions for 12 weeks.ResultsCompared with WL, veterans randomized to IE demonstrated a greater reduction in PTSD symptom severity (d = -.90), a greater improvement in psychological quality of life (d = .53) and a smaller relative improvement in physical quality of life (d = .30) Veterans' ratings of IE indicated high feasibility and acceptability.LimitationsThe sample was relatively small and recruited from one site. The comparison condition was an inactive control.ConclusionsThis initial study suggests that IE is an innovative approach to treating veterans with symptoms of PTSD that reduces symptoms of posttraumatic stress and improves psychological quality of life. This approach to recovery may expand the reach of PTSD treatment into non-traditional settings and to veterans who may prefer a familiar activity, such as exercise, over medication or psychotherapy.

BackgroundPosttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is prevalent among military veterans and is associated with significant negative health outcomes. However, stigma and other barriers to care prevent many veterans from pursuing traditional mental health treatment. We developed a group-based Integrative Exercise (IE) program combining aerobic and resistance exercise, which is familiar to veterans, with mindfulness-based practices suited to veterans with PTSD. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of IE on PTSD symptom severity and quality of life, as well as assess the feasibility and acceptability of IE.MethodsVeterans (N = 47) were randomized to either IE or waitlist control (WL). Veterans in IE were asked to attend three 1-h group exercise sessions for 12 weeks.ResultsCompared with WL, veterans randomized to IE demonstrated a greater reduction in PTSD symptom severity (d = -.90), a greater improvement in psychological quality of life (d = .53) and a smaller relative improvement in physical quality of life (d = .30) Veterans' ratings of IE indicated high feasibility and acceptability.LimitationsThe sample was relatively small and recruited from one site. The comparison condition was an inactive control.ConclusionsThis initial study suggests that IE is an innovative approach to treating veterans with symptoms of PTSD that reduces symptoms of posttraumatic stress and improves psychological quality of life. This approach to recovery may expand the reach of PTSD treatment into non-traditional settings and to veterans who may prefer a familiar activity, such as exercise, over medication or psychotherapy.