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Spotlight on Women's Health

Overview of the Millenium Cohort Study (MILCO): Opportunities for VA Investigators


by Edward Boyko, MD, MPH ; Rudolph Rull, PhD, MPH ; Aaron Schneiderman, PhD
Seminar date: 10/29/2020

Description: This cyberseminar presents an overview of the Millennium Cohort Study (MilCo), which represents the largest population-based prospective health study in US military history, with over 200,000 military personnel from all services and components (Active, Reserve, National Guard) enrolled since 2001 (pre-9/11). MilCo is focused on prospectively determining the impacts of military deployments, experiences, and exposures on the long-term health of service members and Veterans. Surveys are completed every 3-5 years, even after participants leave military service and become Veterans, and follow-up will continue through 2068. Surveys assess mental and physical health, health behaviors, military exposures, and other experiences (combat, deployment). Results are linked with multiple enterprise military and medical databases and, most recently, VA data. Dr. Rull will present an overview of MilCo methods/measures and VA- MilCo collaborative projects, while Dr. Boyko will review the DoD/VA partnership that is enabling addition of VA data to MilCo records and new collaborative research opportunities. Dr. Schneiderman will discuss VHA's role in this partnership and the post-deployment health context for future research. Supported by the VA Women's Health Research Network (SDR 10-012), this Session is one of several planned to review MilCo research opportunities, with a future cyberseminar focused on women's health research.



DOWNLOAD: PDF handout | Audio only (mp3) | transcript


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