Understanding and Addressing the Unique Challenges and Conditions of the Veteran

Estes, Sandra; Tice, Johnny R.

doi:10.1016/j.cnur.2021.03.002

Cited by 2 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 24 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…During this stage of life, many may suffer from isolation as a result of loss of family members and friends, which has been associated with poorer overall health [ 56 , 57 ]. Evaluate for isolation-related conditions, such as depression, loneliness, and anxiety [ 57 ], and assess for sleep quality [ 58 ]. It is important not to assume that individuals in these age groups are incapable of retaining information, but do assess for and consider processing speed since older individuals may absorb and understand new information at a slower rate [ 59 ].…”

Section: Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

Primary Care Considerations for Elderly U.S. Veterans of World War II and the Korean War: A Narrative Review

Akwe¹,

Hall²

2023

Cureus

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Many of the United States' more than 18 million veterans obtain healthcare through the Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) Veterans Health Administration system; however, recent legislative changes have expanded veterans' access to non-VA care in their communities, particularly for those who do not live near VA medical centers. Veterans are seen by physicians in outpatient practice across the United States and are admitted to non-VA hospitals; this is particularly salient for older veterans, who may require a more frequent and high level of care. We present a review of characteristics of U.S. veterans from two conflicts: World War II (WWII) and the Korean War. While non-VA clinicians are well equipped to provide care for patients of all different ages, veterans of armed conflicts have a unique constellation of exposures and cultural considerations that must be accounted for when providing them care. In this review, we describe characteristics of the generations of American veterans who served in WWII and the Korean War conflicts in a brief historical context. We then note conflict-specific exposures and potential long-term sequelae to watch for during physical examinations and to monitor thereafter, age-specific health and emotional concerns, and best practices for providing care to this cohort of veterans.

show abstract

Section: Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

Primary Care Considerations for Elderly U.S. Veterans of World War II and the Korean War: A Narrative Review

Akwe¹,

Hall²

2023

Cureus

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Sleep disorders arise due to complex circumstances that can include genetic, environmental, behavioral, and psychosocial risk factors ( 1 , 2 ). Veterans comprise a vulnerable population for sleep disorder occurrence and their rates are elevated relative to the general population ( 3 , 4 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sleep disorders and cancer incidence: examining duration and severity of diagnosis among veterans

Burch,

Delage,

Zhang

et al. 2024

Front. Oncol.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

IntroductionSleep disruption affects biological processes that facilitate carcinogenesis. This retrospective cohort study used de-identified data from the Veterans Administration (VA) electronic medical record system to test the hypothesis that patients with diagnosed sleep disorders had an increased risk of prostate, breast, colorectal, or other cancers (1999-2010, N=663,869). This study builds upon existing evidence by examining whether patients with more severe or longer-duration diagnoses were at a greater risk of these cancers relative to those with a less severe or shorter duration sleep disorder.MethodsIncident cancer cases were identified in the VA Tumor Registry and sleep disorders were defined by International Classification of Sleep Disorder codes. Analyses were performed using extended Cox regression with sleep disorder diagnosis as a time-varying covariate.ResultsSleep disorders were present among 56,055 eligible patients (8% of the study population); sleep apnea (46%) and insomnia (40%) were the most common diagnoses. There were 18,181 cancer diagnoses (41% prostate, 12% colorectal, 1% female breast, 46% other). The hazard ratio (HR) for a cancer diagnosis was 1.45 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.37, 1.54) among those with any sleep disorder, after adjustment for age, sex, state of residence, and marital status. Risks increased with increasing sleep disorder duration (short [<1-2 years] HR: 1.04 [CI: 1.03-1.06], medium [>2-5 years] 1.23 [1.16-1.32]; long [>5-12 years] 1.52 [1.34-1.73]). Risks also increased with increasing sleep disorder severity using cumulative sleep disorder treatments as a surrogate exposure; African Americans with more severe disorders had greater risks relative to those with fewer treatments and other race groups. Results among patients with only sleep apnea, insomnia, or another sleep disorder were similar to those for all sleep disorders combined.DiscussionThe findings are consistent with other studies indicating that sleep disruption is a cancer risk factor. Optimal sleep and appropriate sleep disorder management are modifiable risk factors that may facilitate cancer prevention.

show abstract

Understanding and Addressing the Unique Challenges and Conditions of the Veteran

Cited by 2 publications

References 24 publications

Primary Care Considerations for Elderly U.S. Veterans of World War II and the Korean War: A Narrative Review

Primary Care Considerations for Elderly U.S. Veterans of World War II and the Korean War: A Narrative Review

Sleep disorders and cancer incidence: examining duration and severity of diagnosis among veterans

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About