Intensive Referral of Veterans to Mutual-Help Groups: A Mixed-Methods Implementation Evaluation

Community-based support group participation protects against substance use disorder (SUD) relapse, but referrals during treatment are inconsistently delivered and may not acknowledge barriers facing rural patients. This formative evaluation of a rural intensive referral intervention (RAIR) to community-based support groups for Veterans seeking SUD treatment surveyed patients (n = 145) and surveyed and interviewed treatment staff (n = 28). Patients and staff did not differ significantly on quantitative ratings of the helpfulness of, or satisfaction with, seven RAIR components, but staff did not deliver the intervention consistently or as designed, citing two themes: lack of commitment and lack of resources.     

Precision Medicine Approaches to Vascular Disease: JACC Focus Seminar 2/5

In this second of a 5-part Focus Seminar series, we focus on precision medicine in the context of vascular disease. The most common vascular disease worldwide is atherosclerosis, which is the primary cause of coronary artery disease, peripheral vascular disease, and a large proportion of strokes and other disorders. Atherosclerosis is a complex genetic disease that likely involves many hundreds to thousands of single nucleotide polymorphisms, each with a relatively modest effect for causing disease. Conversely, although less prevalent, there are many vascular disorders that typically involve only a single genetic change, but these changes can often have a profound effect that is sufficient to cause disease. These are termed “Mendelian vascular diseases,” which include Marfan and Loeys-Dietz syndromes. Given the very different genetic basis of atherosclerosis versus Mendelian vascular diseases, this article was divided into 2 parts to cover the most promising precision medicine approaches for these disease types.     

The impact of COVID-19 on cardiovascular health behaviors in student veterans

Background and aimsPandemics have previously resulted in increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. It is unclear if the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic will be amplified in individuals at high risk for cardiovascular disease, such as military populations, resulting in augmented cardiovascular events in Veterans. The purpose of this study was to determine if traditional behavioral risk factors for cardiovascular disease are amplified due to the COVID-19 pandemic and if risk factors are more prevalent in Veterans compared to non-Veterans.Methods and resultsThirty-two student Veterans and 46 non-Veteran students between the ages of 18 and 35 completed a Qualtrics self-report questionnaire assessing health behaviors, physical activity, and mental health both before and during COVID-19. Veterans displayed worse pre-COVID cardiovascular health behaviors such as poor sleep habits, greater use of tobacco, alcohol, and energy drinks, and lower values of social engagement compared to non-Veterans. Many health behaviors remained unchanged in student Veterans during the pandemic. The non-Veteran group exhibited augmentation of cardiovascular health behaviors during COVID-19, shown through the worsening sleep habits, increased anxiety, and reduced physical activity.ConclusionStudent Veterans demonstrate heightened risk for cardiovascular disease based on the pre-COVID elevation of behavioral risk factors. These behavioral factors continued to remain elevated during the COVID-19 pandemic. Non-Veteran students displayed amplification of behavioral risk factors for cardiovascular disease due to the COVID-19 pandemic. These results highlight the need for resources and interventions for our student veterans and suggest long-term cardiovascular consequences for all students who suffered through the COVID-19 pandemic.     

某医院住院军队老干部慢性心力衰竭情况分析

目的：回顾调查解放军第四一一医院住院军队老干部慢性心力衰竭（chronic heart failure,CHF）住院诊疗情况,为制订该疾病的医疗保健对策提供相关依据。方法汇总2006－2015年因CHF入住解放军第四一一医院的201例军队老干部病历资料,回顾性分析其病因、诱因、诊断及治疗情况。结果老干部CHF病因排序依次为：冠心病（36．8％）、高血压性心脏病（31.3％）、糖尿病心肌病（12．9％）、肺源性心脏病（10．4％）以及其他（9．5％）;诱因排序依次为：感染（28．4％）、心律失常（23．4％）、治疗依从性差（17．9％）、心肌缺血（13．9％）、血压控制不佳（9．9％）以及其他（6．5％）;血浆脑利钠肽前体水平：86～95岁组高于76～85岁组,76～85岁组高于66～75岁组,差异有统计学意义（P＜0．05）;LVEF水平：86～95岁组低于76～85岁组,76～85岁组低于66～75岁组,差异有统计学意义（P＜0．05）;用药情况：服用洋地黄、ACEI／ARB、β受体阻滞剂、螺内酯等药物比例分别为：50．2％、49．3％、47．8％、45．8％。结论军队老干部CHF的防治需要进一步关注病因干预、诱因控制、规范治疗以及加强院外的综合管理。     

Diagnostic specificity and mental health service utilization among veterans with newly diagnosed anxiety disorders

Objective

This study examined rates of specific anxiety diagnoses (posttraumatic stress disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, social anxiety disorder, and specific phobia) and anxiety disorder not otherwise specified (anxiety NOS) in a national sample of Veterans and assessed their mental health service utilization.

Method

This study used administrative data extracted from Veteran Health Administration outpatient records to identify patients with a new anxiety diagnosis in fiscal year 2010 (N = 292,244). Logistic regression analyses examined associations among diagnostic specificity, diagnostic location, and mental health service utilization.

Results

Anxiety NOS was diagnosed in 38% of the sample. Patients in specialty mental health were less likely to receive an anxiety NOS diagnosis than patients in primary care (odds ratio [OR] = 0.36). Patients with a specific anxiety diagnosis were more likely to receive mental health services than those with anxiety NOS (OR = 1.65), as were patients diagnosed in specialty mental health compared with those diagnosed in primary care (OR = 16.29).

Conclusion

Veterans diagnosed with anxiety NOS are less likely to access mental health services than those with a specific anxiety diagnosis, suggesting the need for enhanced diagnostic and referral practices, particularly in primary care settings.