Latest news with #VeteransHealthAdministration
Medscape
4 days ago
- General
- Medscape
One Third of Older Veterans Who Use Cannabis Have CUD
About 36% of older veterans who recently used cannabis screened positive for cannabis use disorder (CUD), with a higher risk observed among younger respondents, individuals with anxiety, and frequent users, a new analysis showed. Investigators said the findings suggest asking about cannabis use during all routine health exams could help identify patients for treatment. METHODOLOGY: This cross-sectional study included data of 4503 older adults (weighted mean age, 73.3 years; 85% men; 78% non-Hispanic White individuals) from the Veterans Health Administration in the United States using interviews and medical records (2020-2023). Participants were assessed for the use of cannabis in different forms (smoking, vaping, dabbing, or edibles) in the past 30 days and screened for CUD, defined as meeting at least two criteria from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (Fifth Edition) . . Covariates included sociodemographic and health variables. TAKEAWAY: Overall, 57% of participants reported lifetime cannabis use, with 29% citing medical reasons, with pain management the most common reason for medical use. Cannabis use in the past 30 days was reported by 10.3% of participants, with 52% using cannabis for at least 20 days in a month. Among those with past 30-day use, 36% screened positive for CUD, with higher odds among men, respondents younger than 76 years, individuals with anxiety, and individuals who reported any illicit drug use or frequent cannabis use. Compared with any recreational use, lifetime cannabis use for exclusively medical reasons was associated with lower odds of any CUD. Past 30-day use of inhaled cannabis was associated with higher odds of CUD than that of edibles only (adjusted odds ratio, 3.56; 95% CI, 1.12-11.26). IN PRACTICE: 'Older veterans may be at risk for THC intoxication. Prevention of problematic cannabis use and CUD is also crucial in older veterans due to the elevated risk of suicide ideation and exacerbation of mental health concerns experienced by aging populations. Routine health screening for cannabis use in Veterans Health Administration clinical settings is necessary to identify older adults with cannabis use,' the investigators wrote. SOURCE: The study was led by Vira Pravosud, PhD, MPH, MS, Center for Data to Discovery and Delivery Innovation, San Francisco Veterans Affairs Health Care System, San Francisco. It was published online on May 14 in JAMA Network Open . LIMITATIONS: The study was limited by its cross-sectional design, low generalizability, reliance on self-reported data, and potential recall and social desirability bias. DISCLOSURES: The study received support from National Institutes of Health and Tobacco Related Disease Research Program. One author declared receiving nonfinancial support from the San Francisco VA Health Care System during the study. Another received nonfinancial support from the New York State Psychiatric Institute during the study and research support from Syneos Health outside the submitted work.
Washington Post
24-05-2025
- Health
- Washington Post
More than 1 in 10 older vets uses cannabis, study finds
More than 1 in 10 veterans ages 65 to 84 used cannabis in the previous month, a new analysis of Veterans Health Administration (VHA) data published in JAMA Network Open suggests. To learn more about cannabis use in older adults, researchers turned to the Veterans Affairs Cannabis and Aging Study, which follows a national cohort of veterans and their cannabis use. The respondents' mean age was 73.3, and 85.4 percent of them were men.
Yahoo
21-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Dräger awarded Veterans Health Administration (VHA) contract for surgical lighting and equipment booms to support acquisition efficiency
Veterans Health Administration (VHA) has awarded Dräger a five-year, single-award Non-Expendable (NX) Equipment Program requirements contract for surgical lighting systems and equipment booms (Contract # 36C10G24D0105). TELFORD, Pa., April 21, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Dräger, an international leader in medical and safety technology, has been awarded a contract by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) under the Non-Expendable (NX) Equipment Program. This agreement covers surgical lighting and equipment boom systems to support operating room (OR) and other environments within VA medical facilities, making them available to order via VHA's National Equipment Catalog (NEC). The award of this NX contract reflects Dräger's commitment to delivering innovative, reliable solutions that can support clinical effectiveness and long-term value. Dräger's Polaris surgical lighting systems are designed to help enhance surgical precision, improve workflow efficiency, and focus on patient safety—all while supporting efforts to manage operational costs. "This contract reinforces Dräger's continued collaboration with the Veterans Health Administration," said Steve Menet, senior vice president of sales, hospital solutions at Draeger, Inc. "It provides a streamlined path for VA medical centers to access our clinically proven solutions, which are backed by dedicated service and support." The NX Equipment Program is designed to simplify procurement and improve purchasing efficiency for participating VA facilities. The contract offers a pre-competed acquisition option that can help reduce administrative burden and facilitate timely access to equipment. For more information about Dräger surgical lighting and OR boom solutions, please visit: You can find more information and pictures in our press center: Dräger. Technology for Life® Dräger is an international leader in the fields of medical and safety technology. Our products protect, support, and save lives. Founded in 1889, Dräger generated revenues of around € 3,4 billion in 2024. The Dräger Group is currently present in over 190 countries and has more than 16,000 employees worldwide. Please visit for more information. ContactCommunications: Melanie Kamann, Tel. +49 451 882-3202, Contact North America: Laura Edwards, Tel. +1 215 565-5868, Relations: Thomas Fischler, Tel. +49 451 882-2685, View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Draeger
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Dayton ranks among Top 20 best cities for veterans' healthcare
The City of Dayton is one of the nation's 20 best cities for veterans' health care. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Trajector Medical examined data for 132 Veterans Health Administration hospitals, according to its website. TRENDING STORIES: Customer complaints lead to fuel quality investigation at local gas stations 1 dead after school bus flips due to blown tire FSU shooter accused of killing 2, injuring 6 identified as deputy's so Dayton ranked No. 16 and Cincinnati finished No. 19. The website found that Dayton has the third shortest wait time for new patients to access primary care, 7.5 days. The city has the fifth-highest percentage of veterans who usually get access to urgent care. The Dayton VA Medical Center received a three out of five stars rating. The Top 5 cities in the nation include: Wichita, Kansas Fargo, North Dakota Amarillo, Texas Altoona, Pennsylvania Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania Visit this website to see the full list. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Democrats question VA secretary on return-to-office ‘disruptions'
A group of 20 House Democrats want answers from Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Doug Collins on how President Trump's return-to-office mandate for federal workers is being carried out, citing 'deep concerns' the blanket policy is damaging care for veterans. In a letter to Collins, sent March 28 but released on social media Monday by one of the signatories, Rep. Lizzie Fletcher (D-Texas), the group takes issue with the 'lack of clarity' about how the VA is planning to implement having VA employees show up to work in person. 'Within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), we have heard from countless stakeholders, veterans and Department of Veterans Affairs employees that by carrying out President Trump's blanket return-to-office policy, your administration is damaging veterans and employing trust in the VA, disrupting and impeding veterans access to care, and creating untenable and inefficient conditions for both veterans and the VA workforce,' the lawmakers write. 'We call upon you to ensure that the policy includes clear exceptions for situations where it is not feasible or reasonable for employees to be in the office 100% of the time,' they add. On Feb. 3, the VA announced that it would require thousands of department staffers to move back to the office by the end of February, ending remote work implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic. Then-acting VA Secretary Todd Hunter said the move was a 'commonsense step toward treating all VA employees equally,' and that most VA clinical staff 'don't have the luxury of working remotely, and we believe the performance, collaboration and productivity of the department will improve if all VA employees are held to the same standard.' The lawmakers argue that the Veterans Health Administration has hired thousands of employees into fully remote positions over the last five years, with many in the workforce not located near VA facilities that can offer space for them to work. What's more, remote work agreements have allowed the VA to hire more mental health providers who have been able to provide private counseling and care to veterans through telehealth appointments. A return-to-office mandate jeopardizes this provision of care, they write. The VA on March 10 made an exception for Veterans Crisis Line workers in its mandate, but the carve-out, the lawmakers say, shows 'that you understand there will be negative impacts to veterans' care due to the return-to-office order and that these must be mitigated.' They relay one account from a VA social worker supervisor who, due to space constraints at the facility they were ordered to return to, are being forced to share a 100-square-foot shower with another supervisor as an office space to provide case management for veterans. In another case, they say there are reports of clinical resource hub employees, who have worked remotely since they were hired, being forced to work in 'cubicle farms' or an open floor plan office. 'We cannot expect providers offering primary care, mental health, and specialty care services to be able to deliver care ethically and maintain patient privacy when surrounded by other employees who may or may not be clinicians or even VA employees,' the lawmakers write. They argue the issue is taking a toll on VA employees and is 'already damaging VA's ability to recruit and retain a strong workforce.' They also argue the agency is losing quality providers that remote work has allowed it to hire, 'which will damage VAs institutional knowledge and expertise and only further hurt veterans and their access to care.' The group asks Collins to exempt from the new order VA employees who work in Veterans Integrated Service Networks (VISN) hubs — regional systems of care — VISN clinical contact centers, Veterans Health Administration member services, and those in community care coordination. They also ask Collins to thoroughly evaluate which additional Veterans Health Administration functions or positions would benefit from a return-to-office exemption 'to ensure veterans continue to access timely care.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
