This site is intended primarily for VA and non-VA health services researchers.
Director:
Steven Fu, MD, MSCE
Associate Director:
Nina A. Sayer, PhD
co-Associate Directors: Melissa Partin, PhD and Brent Taylor, PhD
RECENT HIGHLIGHTS
Prevalence and Costs of Co-Occurring Traumatic Brain Injury with and without Psychiatric
Disturbance and Pain among Afghanistan and Iraq War Veteran VA Users
by Brent Taylor, PhD (pictured below)
VA is the single largest provider of healthcare services to OEF/OIF Veterans. These Veterans
who receive VA healthcare carry a high burden of mental disorders, with PTSD being the most common.
Survey findings also suggest that 15% to 20% may have mild traumatic brain injury (TBI), and pain
is another high-frequency problem among this VA patient population. However, little is known about
the co-occurrence of TBI, psychiatric disorders, and pain on a national level. Using VA data,
this observational study examined the prevalence and VA healthcare costs of TBI with and without
comorbid psychiatric illness and pain among 327,388 OEF/OIF Veterans who used VA healthcare services
(inpatient or outpatient) during FY09. Investigators compared demographics and co-occurring mental
health, head, neck or back pain diagnoses by clinician-diagnosed TBI status, as well as average costs.
The Center for Chronic Disease Outcomes Research, a
VA Health Services Research and Development (HSR&D)
Center of Excellence operating under the direction of the
Office of Research and Development (ORD),
is an interdisciplinary community of professionals conducting methodologically
rigorous research intended primarily to improve the health care of Veterans.
The Center is a vibrant organization with 22 core investigators, 8 affiliate or associate
investigators, 2 post-doctoral fellows, 4 core administrative staff, 12 data analysis core
staff, and 30 project staff. The center currently supports 62 funded projects with an
annual budget of over $8.8 million.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Minneapolis VA Health Care System (152/2E)
One Veterans Drive
Minneapolis, MN 55417
Phone: 612.725.1979
Fax: 612.727.5699
Contact via email.
OUR MISSION
To enhance, through research, education, and dissemination activities, the
delivery and accessibility of high-quality, cost-effective health care that will
result in optimal clinical, psychosocial, and functional outcomes for Veterans
with chronic disease.
RESEARCH FOCUS
More than 600,000 new Veterans have become eligible for VA services since
the beginning of the global war on terror. These Veterans face a host of
unique combat-related problems, many of which will become lifelong chronic
conditions. To help ensure that these Veterans receive the highest quality
care, we will place a major focus over the next five years on
post-deployment health, specifically:
Post traumatic stress disorder
Polytrauma and Blast-related injuries and other unique health issues
facing Veterans of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom
Substance use disorders (including tobacco)
In addition much of our research will continue to focus on other areas of
established strength:
Clinical research programs in osteoporosis, vaccine preventable
disease, prostate and urological disease, and abdominal aortic
aneurysm
Intervention and implementation research in colorectal cancer screening
Health disparities in disadvantaged populations
Methods for reducing bias in observational studies
VA is the single largest provider of healthcare services to OEF/OIF Veterans. These Veterans
who receive VA healthcare carry a high burden of mental disorders, with PTSD being the most common.
Survey findings also suggest that 15% to 20% may have mild traumatic brain injury (TBI), and pain
is another high-frequency problem among this VA patient population. However, little is known about
the co-occurrence of TBI, psychiatric disorders, and pain on a national level. Using VA data,
this observational study examined the prevalence and VA healthcare costs of TBI with and without
comorbid psychiatric illness and pain among 327,388 OEF/OIF Veterans who used VA healthcare services
(inpatient or outpatient) during FY09. Investigators compared demographics and co-occurring mental
health, head, neck or back pain diagnoses by clinician-diagnosed TBI status, as well as average costs.
