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Combat veterans who suffered traumatic brain injuries due to explosive blasts may have markers in their spinal fluid similar to those of Alzheimer's disease, new research finds.

"Previous research has shown that moderate to severe traumatic brain injuries may increase a person's risk of Alzheimer's disease," said senior study author

  • Carole Tanzer Miller HealthDay Reporter
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  • March 14, 2024
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  • People who've suffered a moderate to severe traumatic brain injury have a greatly increased risk of brain cancer, a new study of military service members finds.

    Brain cancer is relatively uncommon, occurring in fewer than 1% of people in the United States, researchers said.

    But service members who had a moderate or severe brain injury were at 90% increased risk for developing malign...

    The Vietnam war was a traumatic event in American history, most especially for those who served.

    However, there's a glimmer of good news from recent research: Suicide rates for Vietnam veterans over the past four decades were no higher than that of the general population.

    Still, between 1979 and 2019 -- the period covered by the new study -- almost 100,000 Vietnam War vets did lose ...

    About one in eight military families are turning to food banks and community pantries to make ends meet and feed their children, a new study finds.

    More than 13% of military families with at least one child said they used a food bank at least once in the past 12 months, according to a 2021 survey of more than 8,300 families with an active service member in the U.S. Army or Air Force.

    <...

    Suicide has become an urgent issue among American military veterans, with rates increasing by more than 10 times in nearly two decades, a new study reveals.

    "Suicide rates for post-9/11 veterans have steadily increased over the last 15 years and at a much faster pace than the total U.S. population, and post-9/11 veterans with TBI [traumatic brain injuries] have a significantly higher suic...

    An investigation into a high number of cancers at a Montana nuclear missile base has led to the discovery of unsafe levels of a likely carcinogen.

    The hundreds of cancer cases appear to be connected to underground launch control centers at Malmstrom Air Force Base.

    Levels of PCBs, an oily or waxy substance that is considered a

  • Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
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  • August 8, 2023
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  • While the U.S. Veterans Affairs health system has been criticized for long appointment wait times and limited access to specialists, the quality of care and access to a range of surgical services is as good as or better than at non-VA health centers on several measures, new research reveals.

    “Surgery involves many steps of care,” said lead study author

  • Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
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  • May 11, 2023
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  • A new study on veterans, gun storage and suicidal thoughts points to an urgent need for mental health and substance-related services, according to researchers.

    The study from the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research found that about 1 in 7 veterans with a firearm at home in Calif...

    Military pilots and the ground crews who fuel and maintain their aircraft have higher rates of certain types of cancer, a new study shows.

    The Pentagon researched cancer cases in nearly 900,000 military members who served between 1992 and 2017, comparing them to the general U.S. po...

    While U.S. veterans are already eligible for emergency suicidal crisis care, starting Tuesday they can get it for free.

    Care available at any VA facility or any private facility will include up to 30 days of inpatient or crisis residential care, the Department of Veteran's Affairs announced Friday. It will also include up to 90 days of follow-up outpatient care and ambulance rides to hosp...

    Military service members who conceal their suicidal thoughts are also more likely to store their guns unsafely, a new study reveals.

    “These findings highlight a real problem with our suicide prevention system,” said Michael Anestis, lead author of the study and...

    A short but intensive approach to "talk therapy" can help many combat veterans overcome post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a new clinical trial has found.

    The study tested "compressed" formats of a standard PTSD treatment called prolonged exposure therapy, in which patients learn to grad...

    A new study of U.S. military veterans reveals they are more comfortable getting help for physical ills than for mental health issues.

    "The majority of participants indicated they would be willing to seek treatment for both physical and mental health problems. However, they reported significantly greater willingness to seek treatment for physical than mental health conditions," said princi...

    President Biden was poised on Wednesday to sign a bill that expands health care benefits for U.S. veterans exposed to toxic burn pits.

    Known as the PACT Act, the legislation is the biggest expansion of veterans' health care and benefits in more than 30 years, the White House said in a

  • By Steven Reinberg HealthDay Reporter
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  • August 10, 2022
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  • A service dog can lower the severity of a U.S. military veteran's post-traumatic stress disorder, according to past research.

    Hoping to learn more about this therapeutic bond, researchers worked with 82 vets and their trained service dogs. Their study was published July 27 in the journal

    There are many obstacles to opioid addiction treatment, but a new study shows one that one outgrowth of the COVID pandemic -- telehealth -- is enabling more U.S. veterans to get help.

    Researchers examined care given to vets before and after a transition to telehealth visits in early 2020 for treatment of their opioid use disorder. Telehealth for patients receiving the prescription drug

    More disability payments led to fewer hospitalizations for Vietnam veterans with diabetes, according to a new report.

    The research looked at 14,000 Vietnam vets who benefited...

    A degenerative brain condition uncovered in some former professional athletes has been reported in military veterans as well, but a new study suggests it's uncommon and questions whether service itself confers the risk.

    At issue is a condition called chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a form of p...

    U.S. veterans are at higher risk for melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, than most Americans, and new research finds they are also more likely to have advanced-stage disease when it's detected.

    At the time of diagnosis, "we found veterans with melanoma were more like...

    After 30 years, researchers believe they finally have definitive evidence of the primary cause of Gulf War syndrome: exposure to low levels of the nerve gas sarin.

    Gulf War syndrome is blamed for leaving a quarter million veterans of the 1991 conflict with a disabling array of long-...

    Images of Ukrainians being carried on stretchers from bombed-out buildings, wounded and bleeding, are heartbreaking, but one American surgeons' group is doing its part to help teach the war-torn country's citizens how to halt life-threatening bleeds.

    When serious injury strikes, time is of the es...

    Since Russia invaded Ukraine, millions have fled their homes and sought refuge wherever they could find it.

    Each individual story is intensely personal, but mental health experts warn of a refugee crisis that risks leaving a nation of 43 million with deep psychological scars for years to come.

    Marina, from Kyiv, now counts herself among the displaced.

    "Today, I would only lik...

    U.S. National Guard soldiers are at heightened risk for problem drinking after military deployment, but less likely to receive help with their alcohol struggles than active-duty service members, a new study finds.

    Exposure to combat during deployment was the strongest risk factor for problem drinking among the reservists in the study, according to the report published online March 8 in th...

    President Joe Biden plans to announce Thursday that a "surge" of U.S. military medical personnel will soon be deployed to hospitals struggling with staff shortages amid soaring COVID-19 cases.

    More than 1,000 will begin arriving at hospitals nationwide starting next week, and that deployment will be in addition to other federal medical personnel who have already been sent to states to off...

    Nearly 98% of the U.S. Army's active duty force had received at least one coronavirus vaccine dose as of Wednesday's deadline for mandatory vaccination, officials said Thursday.

    However, more than 3,800 soldiers have refused to get a shot and could start being discharged from the military next month, according to an Army

  • Robert Preidt
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  • December 16, 2021
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  • A new program to help U.S. veterans with lung problems caused by inhaling toxins while deployed was announced on Veterans Day by President Joe Biden.

    It will also assess the potential connection between cancers and time spent overseas breathing poor air, according to the White House.

    "We're discovering there is a whole host of lung conditions related to deployment," Dr. Richard Meeh...

    The Biden administration unveiled a plan on Tuesday that aims to cut gun suicides in the United States.

    Measures in the plan include creating awareness and training programs and making gun storage ...

    As a Marine Corps veteran who served in both Iraq and Afghanistan, Matthew Ryba understands what life in a combat zone can do to soldiers' minds, leaving many struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder.

    Now, new research shows that equine therapy might go a long way in starting the healing process for these veterans. In the program, participants learned about horses, stroking their si...

    Unvaccinated U.S. troops must immediately start getting COVID-19 vaccines, says a memo issued Tuesday by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.

    The Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, which recently received full approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, will be added to the list of required shots for U.S. troops. They'll be able to get their shots at their bases and from their commands worldwid...

    Following on full U.S. regulatory approval of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, the Pentagon announced on Monday that all military personnel -- including 1.3 million active-duty troops -- must get their shots.

    According to the Associated Press, Department of Defense spokesman John Kirby said Pentagon officials are preparing to issue guidance to require vaccination, although no exact...

    All members of the U.S. military must get a COVID-19 vaccine by mid-September, the Pentagon announced Monday.

    Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin noted that the deadline could be moved up if the vaccine receives final approval sooner from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or if infection rates continue to rise.

    "I will seek the president's approval to make the vaccines mandatory no l...

    The U.S. Department of Defense isn't doing enough to guard service members against exposure to so-called "forever chemicals" associated with a range of health problems, the department's inspector general said Tuesday.

    The internal audit also noted that the department is falling short on tracking the health effects from exposure to the toxic compounds, called perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroa...

    A popular treatment for the seasonal depression that strikes during dark winter months may also benefit veterans with traumatic brain injuries and post-traumatic stress disorder, a small pilot study suggests.

    Results from 16 older veterans found that bright light therapy alongside traditional treatments for these problems improved physical and mental symptoms.

    The therapy, in which...

    Could there actually be a mental health upside to the ongoing pandemic?

    In a word, yes. At least that's the finding of a new survey, in which roughly four in 10 U.S. military veterans said that the experience has in some ways proven psychologically rewarding.

    Nearly 3,100 veterans participated in the survey, which was conducted in two parts, one just before the pandemic and one a ye...

    Serving in the U.S. military can be stressful, and new research suggests the effect of that is showing up in a dramatic increase in two types of sleep problems.

    From 2005 to 2019, insomnia increased 45-fold and sleep apnea rose more than 30-fold among those who serve, researchers found.

    Those most likely to be diagnosed with either of the sleep disorders included personnel who were ...

    When U.S. military personnel get gun locks and counseling on safe storage of their weapons, they store those guns safely, and that could be key to lowering the military suicide rate, researchers report.

    "Suicide mortality is higher in homes with a firearm and the majority of military personnel do not store their firearms safely or report suicidal thoughts," said study co-author Michael An...

    Cutting back on booze may reduce chronic pain and use of other substances among U.S. veterans who are heavy drinkers, according to a new report.

    The study included about 1,500 veterans who completed annual surveys between 2003 and 2015, and reported heavy drinking in at least one of those surveys.

    "We found some evidence for improvement of pain interference symptoms and subs...

    Many soldiers experience traumas on the battlefield that leave them emotionally wounded, but something as simple as walking a dog might bring these veterans desperately needed psychic relief.

    So suggests a new study where researchers compared how four weeks of walking with a shelter dog or with another person affected three biomarkers of stress in male and female veterans with post-tr...

    Lesbian, gay and bisexual members in the U.S. military are at higher risk for sexual harassment, sexual assault and stalking, a new study reports.

    And that sexual victimization can trigger mental health problems such as depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, substance use and suicidal behavior, researchers say.

    They surveyed 544 active-duty U.S. service members, includi...

    Physically active U.S. veterans are more likely to fall but less likely to get hurt when they do, compared with inactive older adults who didn't serve in the military, a new study finds.

    Researchers analyzed 2006-2015 data from nearly 12,000 veterans and nearly 37,000 others. Compared to non-veterans, vets had 11% more falls that didn't result in injuries, but 28% fewer falls...

    PTSD can cause severe psychic distress, but it may also raise heart risks for female veterans in particular, a new study suggests.

    "The association we found was incredibly strong," said lead author Dr. Ramin Ebrahimi, a cardiologist affiliated with the Veterans Affairs Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System.

    "We have a rising number of women veterans, and a large proportion o...

    Fewer U.S. veterans are having leg amputations or dying due to serious blockages in leg arteries, a new study finds.

    These blockages are called critical limb ischemia (CLI). They can cause severe leg pain, wounds that don't heal and poor quality of life, according to the study published recently in the journal Circulation: Cardiovascular Interventions.

    "All patients w...

    U.S. soldiers who suffer a moderate or severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) are more likely to suffer other mental health woes than those with other serious injuries, a new study finds.

    It also showed that the rate of mental health disorders among seriously injured soldiers is much higher than previously reported.

    "A central takeaway is that severe TBI is associated with a gr...

    Traits relating to traditional masculinity -- such as self-reliance and stoicism -- are associated with more severe and difficult-to-treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in military veterans, researchers say.

    "Overall, we found that strict adherence to masculine norms was associated with more severe PTSD symptoms in veterans, but more detailed analysis suggests that the associa...

    After discharge, military veterans are most concerned about their physical and mental health, a new study finds.

    Although most vets are satisfied with their work and social relationships, they are less happy with their health care. Most are coping with chronic physical or mental health conditions, researchers found.

    "What remains to be seen is whether those veterans with h...

    As Americans pay tribute to all veterans who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces Monday, new research suggests that how comrades died can affect levels of grief among soldiers who served in Afghanistan and Iraq.

    "Our goal was to better understand how combat veterans experience the deaths of their military comrades in battle or by suicide, and what factors predict the nature and leve...

    Young and middle-aged adults with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have an increased risk of stroke, new research suggests.

    For the study, researchers analyzed medical data from more than 1 million veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan. They ranged in age from 18 to 60 years and two-thirds were white.

    Of those, 29% had been diagnosed with PTSD. None had previo...

    Veterans who suffer from depression, anxiety, psychosis or bipolar disorder are more likely to suffer a heart attack, stroke or die from heart disease, a new study finds.

    Those who have most severe mental health problems, such as schizophrenia, are at greatest risk.

    Although it's unclear how mental problems affect heart disease risks, researchers think stress may play a pa...

    More than one in 10 older female veterans experienced sexual assault while on active duty, a new study shows.

    Doctors "caring for older women veterans should recognize the prevalence and importance of [military sexual trauma] when assessing patients' health concerns," said study author Dr. Carolyn Gibson.

    Gibson is with the San Francisco VA Health Care System. Her team notes...

    The risk of suicide among U.S. military veterans who have suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI) is more than double that of other vets, a new study finds.

    Researchers analyzed records of more than 1.4 million vets who received care from the U.S. Veterans Health Administration (VHA) between 2005 and 2015.

    They compared severity of the traumatic brain injury with diagnoses o...