Tamara M Schult1, Sandra K Schmunk1, James R Marzolf2, David C Mohr3,4. 1. Veterans Health Administration, Occupational Safety, Health, and GEMS Programs, One Veterans Drive, Building 10, Minneapolis, MN. 2. Veterans Health Administration, Office of Patient Centered Care and Cultural Transformation, 810 Vermont Avenue NW, Washington D.C. 3. Boston VA Health Care System, Center for Healthcare Organization and Implementation Research, 150 South Huntington Avenue, Jamaica Plain, MA. 4. Boston University School of Public Health, 715 Albany Street, Boston, MA.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is undergoing changes in the practice of health care focusing on approaches that prioritize veteran well-being. Given transformation efforts, opportunities exist to enhance the health and well-being of patients and employees alike - a significant proportion of whom are veterans. To date, differences in health status between veteran and civilian employees within VHA have not been examined. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data from an annual organizational census survey with health promotion module conducted in 2015 were analyzed to estimate the prevalence of health risk behaviors, mental health, and chronic health conditions by veteran status within genders (n = 86,257). To further examine associations by gender between veteran status and health measures controlling for covariates, multivariate logistic regression analyses were utilized. RESULTS: Prevalence estimates generally indicated veterans have worse health status and health risk behaviors than their civilian counterparts. Results from multivariate logistic regression analyses indicated many significant associations between veteran status and health by gender controlling for other important demographic variables and a total comorbidity score. Compared to civilian employees within respective genders, both male and female veteran employees have increased odds of being a current smoker. Both male and female veteran employees have decreased odds of physical inactivity compared to civilian employees. For mental health and chronic health conditions, there are several conditions that veteran employees have increased odds for when compared to civilian employees of like gender; these include low back problems, arthritis, anxiety, depression, and sleep disorders. CONCLUSIONS: Veteran employees in VHA have worse health status than their civilian counterparts on a number of measures of health risk behaviors, mental health, and chronic health conditions. Given current organizational priorities aimed at cultural transformation, the present time is an optimal one to work collaboratively to enhance the health and well-being services that are available for patients and employees alike. All employees, particularly our unique population of veteran employees, will benefit from such an approach. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Association of Military Surgeons of the United States 2019.
INTRODUCTION: Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is undergoing changes in the practice of health care focusing on approaches that prioritize veteran well-being. Given transformation efforts, opportunities exist to enhance the health and well-being of patients and employees alike - a significant proportion of whom are veterans. To date, differences in health status between veteran and civilian employees within VHA have not been examined. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data from an annual organizational census survey with health promotion module conducted in 2015 were analyzed to estimate the prevalence of health risk behaviors, mental health, and chronic health conditions by veteran status within genders (n = 86,257). To further examine associations by gender between veteran status and health measures controlling for covariates, multivariate logistic regression analyses were utilized. RESULTS: Prevalence estimates generally indicated veterans have worse health status and health risk behaviors than their civilian counterparts. Results from multivariate logistic regression analyses indicated many significant associations between veteran status and health by gender controlling for other important demographic variables and a total comorbidity score. Compared to civilian employees within respective genders, both male and female veteran employees have increased odds of being a current smoker. Both male and female veteran employees have decreased odds of physical inactivity compared to civilian employees. For mental health and chronic health conditions, there are several conditions that veteran employees have increased odds for when compared to civilian employees of like gender; these include low back problems, arthritis, anxiety, depression, and sleep disorders. CONCLUSIONS: Veteran employees in VHA have worse health status than their civilian counterparts on a number of measures of health risk behaviors, mental health, and chronic health conditions. Given current organizational priorities aimed at cultural transformation, the present time is an optimal one to work collaboratively to enhance the health and well-being services that are available for patients and employees alike. All employees, particularly our unique population of veteran employees, will benefit from such an approach. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Association of Military Surgeons of the United States 2019.
Entities:
Keywords:
chronic health conditions; employees; health behaviors; mental health; veterans
Authors: Rania Kanchi; Priscilla Lopez; Pasquale E Rummo; David C Lee; Samrachana Adhikari; Mark D Schwartz; Sanja Avramovic; Karen R Siegel; Deborah B Rolka; Giuseppina Imperatore; Brian Elbel; Lorna E Thorpe Journal: JAMA Netw Open Date: 2021-10-01