Kristin M Mattocks1, Rebecca Baldor2, Bevanne Bean-Mayberry3, Michael Cucciare4, Megan R Gerber5, Karen M Goldstein6, Kimberly D Hammer7, Elizabeth E Hill8, Aimee Kroll-Desrosiers9, Allan V Prochazka10, Anne G Sadler11, Lori Bastian12. 1. VA Central Western Massachusetts Healthcare System, Leeds, Massachusetts; Department of Quantitative Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts. Electronic address: Kristin.Mattocks@va.gov. 2. VA Central Western Massachusetts Healthcare System, Leeds, Massachusetts. 3. VA HSR&D Center for the Study of Healthcare Innovation, Implementation, and Policy, VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Los Angeles, California; Division of General Internal Medicine and Health Services Research, Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California. 4. Center for Mental Healthcare and Outcomes Research, Central Arkansas Veterans Affairs Healthcare System, Little Rock, Arkansas; VA South Central Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center, Central Arkansas Veterans Affairs Healthcare System, Little Rock, Arkansas; Department of Psychiatry, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas. 5. VA Boston Health Care System, Boston, Massachusetts; Division of General Internal Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts. 6. Center for Health Services Research in Primary Care, Durham Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Durham, North Carolina; Division of General Internal Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina. 7. Fargo VA Health Care System, Fargo, North Dakota; Department of Internal Medicine, University of North Dakota School of Medicine & Health Sciences, Grand Forks, North Dakota. 8. VA Sierra Nevada Health Care System, Reno, Nevada. 9. VA Central Western Massachusetts Healthcare System, Leeds, Massachusetts; Department of Quantitative Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts. 10. Rocky Mountain Regional VA Medical Center, Denver, Colorado. 11. Center for Research in the Implementation of Innovative Strategies in Practice (CRIISP), Iowa City VA Healthcare System, Iowa City, Iowa; Department of Psychiatry, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa. 12. VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, Connecticut; Department of General Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Despite the relatively recent Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) policy advances in providing care for veterans and their infants during the perinatal period, little information exists regarding access to prenatal care for women veterans. Currently, VA medical centers do not provide onsite pregnancy care for veterans, but pay for care from community obstetricians through the Veterans Choice Program (VCP) and related non-VA care programs. The VCP is subcontracted to two large contractors, Health Net and TriWest, to assist the VA in administering the VCP. To date, no studies have evaluated women's perceived access to prenatal care under the VCP. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to understand pregnant veterans' perceived access to community prenatal care through the VCP. DESIGN: The Center for Maternal and Infant Outcomes Research in Translation (COMFORT) study is a longitudinal, prospective multisite observational cohort study of pregnant and postpartum veterans at 15 VA facilities nationwide. Telephone surveys were conducted with women veterans at 20 weeks of pregnancy. We used multivariable logistic regression to examine the odds of receiving care early enough adjusted for these key factors. Measures included perceived access to early prenatal care by race, age, marital status, history of mental health conditions, urban/rural residence, and the VCP contractor (Health Net vs. TriWest). RESULTS: Overall, 519 women veterans completed the baseline pregnancy survey. A sizeable proportion of participants reported a history of mental health conditions, including depression (56.7%), anxiety disorder (45.5%), and posttraumatic stress disorder (40.5%). White veterans were more likely to report perceived timely access to prenatal care than minority veterans (66% vs. 52%; p = .0038). Veterans receiving care at Health Net facilities were more likely to report receiving prenatal care as early as desired in comparison to veterans at TriWest facilities (adjusted odds ratio, 0.48; 95% CI, 0.32-0.73), whereas veterans with a history of depression were 1.7 times more likely to report perceived delays in desired prenatal care compared with veterans without a history of depression (adjusted odds ratio, 1.65; 95% CI, 1.08-2.53). CONCLUSIONS: We found that nearly one-third of women reported problems receiving early prenatal care as soon as they would have liked. Women with histories of depression and racial minorities may require additional maternity care coordination services to ensure they receive timely prenatal care. Community-based provider networks under the VCP should continue to be expanded so that pregnant veterans are able to access high-quality prenatal care in a timely manner. Published by Elsevier Inc.
BACKGROUND: Despite the relatively recent Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) policy advances in providing care for veterans and their infants during the perinatal period, little information exists regarding access to prenatal care for women veterans. Currently, VA medical centers do not provide onsite pregnancy care for veterans, but pay for care from community obstetricians through the Veterans Choice Program (VCP) and related non-VA care programs. The VCP is subcontracted to two large contractors, Health Net and TriWest, to assist the VA in administering the VCP. To date, no studies have evaluated women's perceived access to prenatal care under the VCP. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to understand pregnant veterans' perceived access to community prenatal care through the VCP. DESIGN: The Center for Maternal and Infant Outcomes Research in Translation (COMFORT) study is a longitudinal, prospective multisite observational cohort study of pregnant and postpartum veterans at 15 VA facilities nationwide. Telephone surveys were conducted with women veterans at 20 weeks of pregnancy. We used multivariable logistic regression to examine the odds of receiving care early enough adjusted for these key factors. Measures included perceived access to early prenatal care by race, age, marital status, history of mental health conditions, urban/rural residence, and the VCP contractor (Health Net vs. TriWest). RESULTS: Overall, 519 women veterans completed the baseline pregnancy survey. A sizeable proportion of participants reported a history of mental health conditions, including depression (56.7%), anxiety disorder (45.5%), and posttraumatic stress disorder (40.5%). White veterans were more likely to report perceived timely access to prenatal care than minority veterans (66% vs. 52%; p = .0038). Veterans receiving care at Health Net facilities were more likely to report receiving prenatal care as early as desired in comparison to veterans at TriWest facilities (adjusted odds ratio, 0.48; 95% CI, 0.32-0.73), whereas veterans with a history of depression were 1.7 times more likely to report perceived delays in desired prenatal care compared with veterans without a history of depression (adjusted odds ratio, 1.65; 95% CI, 1.08-2.53). CONCLUSIONS: We found that nearly one-third of women reported problems receiving early prenatal care as soon as they would have liked. Women with histories of depression and racial minorities may require additional maternity care coordination services to ensure they receive timely prenatal care. Community-based provider networks under the VCP should continue to be expanded so that pregnant veterans are able to access high-quality prenatal care in a timely manner. Published by Elsevier Inc.
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