Issues in defining and measuring veteran community reintegration: Proceedings of the Working Group on Community Reintegration,VA Rehabilitation Outcomes Conference, Miami, Florida

Abstract

Abstract-In January 2010, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Rehabilitation Research and Development Service convened a State of the Art (SOTA) conference to advance the field of outcome measurement for rehabilitation-related studies. This article reports on the proceedings of the SOTA Working Group on Community Reintegration. We explored the use of the International Classification of Health, Disability, and Functioning as a theoretical framework for measuring community reintegration; identified key dimensions of community reintegration that could and/or should be measured; discussed challenges in measuring community reintegration; suggested steps to enhance community reintegration measurement; proposed future research that focuses on outcomes measures for community reintegration and the study of community reintegration outcomes; and made policy recommendations that would facilitate community reintegration research within the VA.

Toward a Veteran-centric view on community (re)integration

“…Resuming predeployment life roles can be especially challenging for servicemembers and Veterans who sustained physical injury, an unfortunate reality in this cohort where traumatic brain injury (TBI) and motor vehicle accidents are common [8]. The disability associated with physical and psychological injury is far reaching, affecting self-care, employment, education, relationships, marriages, finances, home, and civic and community life [8][9][10]. The reality that issues can exist in isolation or in combination further complicates the transition back home and increases the likelihood that no two experiences are identical.…”

“…Though usually in reference to rehabilitation outcomes, elements of each are relevant and applicable when discussing the transition from deployment to "home." Community integration has been described as participation in life roles [10] and the return of individuals to their age-, sex-, and culturally appropriate role functions [3]. Community reintegration has been used to describe a return to participation in life roles following discharge from an institution where one was separated from normal community living and then returns to life in a community.…”

“…Community reintegration has been used to describe a return to participation in life roles following discharge from an institution where one was separated from normal community living and then returns to life in a community. It has also been used to describe repatriation from a foreign county [10]. Reistetter and Abreu described reintegration as an adaptation process that is multidimensional, dynamic, personal, and culturally bound [12].…”

“…In addition to variance in defining successful community (re)integration, differences are noted in its measurement in both Veteran and non-Veteran populations [10]. Determining the extent and nature of disability faced is critical in developing interventions that best meet the needs of the servicemembers and Veterans who return from conflict [10,14].…”

“…Determining the extent and nature of disability faced is critical in developing interventions that best meet the needs of the servicemembers and Veterans who return from conflict [10,14]. Yet, gaps in measurement complicate this task.…”