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Women's Health

The number of women Veterans has been steadily growing since 2000, when they accounted for 6 percent of all U.S. Veterans. By 2023, that percentage had increased to more than 11 percent. By 2043, 2.2 million women are projected to make up 17 percent of all living Veterans.

While VA has been studying the health needs of women Veterans since at least the Vietnam era, its Office of Research and Development has established several key 21st-century initiatives to accelerate the translation and implementation of evidence to meet the needs of this rapidly growing population. Health systems researchers study the unique characteristics and needs of women who use VA care, and investigate how to redesign women’s primary care services accordingly. Other areas of research focus include reproductive health and maternity care, barriers to mental healthcare services specifically for women, screening protocols for women-specific health issues, and treatment strategies for post-deployment conditions affecting women Veterans.

Each section below is populated by a search of the HSR website. Search results are generated based on the search term "Women Veterans" . Results are updated as new data are available.

VIEW: Citations | Publication Briefs | Studies | HSR Briefs, Reports, Newsletters | Cyberseminars | Videos | Podcasts | Other Resources



Citations

(recent WOMEN VETERANS publications)



» View more Citations

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Publication Briefs

(recent WOMEN VETERANS Publication Briefs )


  • Women Veterans with PTSD More Likely Than Men to Receive Guideline Discordant Medication
    This study examined potential confounders in incident prescribing of guideline discordant medications (GDM) in Veterans with PTSD. Findings showed that women Veterans with PTSD were 67% more likely than men to initiate a GDM, where more than half of this effect was explained by bipolar disorder diagnosis, age, and the number of distinct psychiatric medications prescribed in the prior year. After a...
    Date: June 5, 2024
  • Women Veterans More Likely to Have Chronic Overlapping Pain Conditions and Higher Pain Interference and Intensity
    This study examined gender differences in chronic pain and its contributors. Findings showed that, compared to men, women Veterans were more likely to have chronic overlapping pain conditions and had higher levels of pain interference and intensity. Women had higher prevalence of psychiatric and sleep disorder diagnoses, greater levels of depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, fatigu...
    Date: February 12, 2024
  • Research Priorities for Women Veterans’ Reproductive Health
    Held in September 2021, The National VA Reproductive Health Research Conference provided a unique opportunity to survey the current state of knowledge on women Veterans’ reproductive health and to discuss and identify research priorities that will support optimizing VA reproductive healthcare in the context of a Learning Healthcare System. Priorities highlight the need for reproductive health rese...
    Date: January 24, 2023
  • Male and Female Veterans Differ in Attitudes to Referral to VA Care after Calling the Veterans Crisis Line
    This study described Suicide Prevention Coordinator (SPC) referral outcomes for Veterans who contacted the Veterans Crisis Line (VCL) with active thoughts of suicide during calendar years 2018–2019. Reasons given for declining SPC referral suggest that concerns about or discomfort with VA care were a key concern, particularly among women Veterans. Women had a higher rate of declining SPC referrals...
    Date: January 1, 2023
  • JGIM Supplement Features VA Research on Women Veterans’ Health and Healthcare
    This special issue of the Journal of General Internal Medicine (JGIM), titled “Moving Women Veterans’ Health Research Forward,” includes 25 articles and 2 editorials that highlight innovations and new findings related to women Veterans’ health and healthcare, including the diverse needs and experiences of women Veterans and active duty and Reserve/National Guard servicewomen....
    Date: September 1, 2022

» View more Publication Briefs

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Studies

(recent WOMEN VETERANS projects )

Project No.  Title  PI  Funding End   
HSR5-008-24W Improving the perinatal mental health of Veterans with serious mental illness through peer support Goodsmith, Nichole 2030-12-31
IIR 23-025 Evaluating Veterans' Reproductive Healthcare Access, Quality and Outcomes in a Changing Landscape (EVOLVE) Callegari, Lisa 2029-06-30
CDA 21-015 Addressing Disparities In Pain Management Javier, Sarah 2028-07-31
CDA 20-227 Increasing PTSD Treatment Engagement in Women Veterans: Role of CBT for Insomnia Carlson, Gwendolyn 2027-12-31
SDR 22-058 Gender differences in Veteran reintegration and associated suicide risk Denneson, Lauren 2027-10-31

» View more Studies

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HSR Briefs, Reports, Newsletters

An Evidence Map of the Women Veterans' Health Literature (2016-2023) (10-09-2024)

Evidence Map - An Evidence Map of the Women Veterans’ Health Literature (2016-2023) (09-03-2024)

"Something Has to Be Done to Make Women Feel Safe": Women Veterans' Recommendations for Strengthening the Veterans Crisis Line (08-30-2024)

Veterans Crisis Line Gender Findings: Qualitative Interviews with Women Veterans (11-01-2022)

Reasons Why Women Veterans Leave or Stay in VA Healthcare (05-06-2022)

» View more Publications

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Cyberseminars

The most recent "Women Veterans" seminars are displayed.
Date Title Presenter(s)
11/19/2024 An Evidence Map of the Women Veterans’ Health Literature (2016-2023) Yano, Elizabeth  
Goldstein, Karen  
Pace, Rachel  
9/24/2024 Improving Access to Urinary Incontinence Treatment through Mobile Health Markland, Alayne  
Morgan, Chelsea  
7/8/2024 Women Veterans’ Healthcare Provider Workforce Experiences Zivin, Kara  
Olmos-Ochoa, Tanya  
4/25/2024 Women Veterans’ Experiences of Harassment at VA Healthcare Facilities: What Have We Learned and Where Do We Need to Go? Fenwick, Karissa  
Shekelle, Jeanette  
Jackson, Discussant: Lelia  
3/18/2024 Intimate Partner Violence Experience among Women Veterans: State of the Research Iverson, Kate  
Dichter, Melissa  
Bruce, Discussant: LeAnn  

» View more Cyberseminars

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Videos

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Podcasts

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Other Resources

  • Visit VA's Office of Research and Development's Women's Health Research Program Page to learn more about research milestones.
  • Visit the Office of Research and Development’s women’s health topic page.
  • Visit VA's Center for Women Veterans website.

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Any health information on this website is strictly for informational purposes and is not intended as medical advice. It should not be used to diagnose or treat any condition.
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