January Spotlight: Health Equity and Health Disparity Research
Sometimes, ethnicity, social, physical, or mental health status can become barriers to receiving health care.
To ensure that every Veteran has barrier-free access to the same, high-quality, evidence-based care he or she may need, achieving health equity and eliminating health disparities are priorities for VA. To support these efforts, VA’s Health Services Research & Development Service (VA HSR&D) investigators conduct a variety of studies designed to identify, explain and eliminate disparities, and improve healthcare equity among Veterans. In particular, HSR&D’s Center for Health Equity Research and Promotion focuses specifically on promoting equity and quality in health and healthcare among Veterans and other populations.
HSR&D Study Results Support Improvements in Care
Health equity and disparity research in VA addresses concerns specific to the general Veteran population, as well as unique groups (such as Veterans living in rural settings, women and minorities) or those who have served in specific deployments (such as to Iraq, Afghanistan, or Viet Nam). While focused research is critical in supporting improved care within VA, many VA HSR&D studies also provide data that can be translated to improvements outside the VA system. Examples of this research include:
- Interventions to address health disparities in joint replacement;
- Addressing primary care for the homeless ;
- Understanding and improving barriers to care for women; and,
- The PROMISE project, which focuses on identifying and reducing variation in the quality of end-of-life care throughout the VA;
In addition to these completed studies, VA HSR&D's Center for Health Equity Research and Promotion is
currently conducting the following investigations into health equity and disparities:
- A 5-year, orthopedics-based research project looking at variations in access and utilization of joint replacement in the management of end-stage osteoarthritis.
- A study that looks at how to reduce overuse of multiple high blood pressure medications among older Veterans.
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A 4-year study to examine if the presence of psychiatric concerns in Veterans returning from combat in Iraq and Afghanistan complicates the family
reintegration process.
To learn more about health equity and health disparities research, use the links in the resources box to the right.